<
https://theconversation.com/how-narendra-modis-cult-of-personality-was-formed-by-a-powerful-hindu-nationalist-group-with-a-dark-history-225280>
"Narendra Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has resorted to
religious polarisation as it tries to rally its Hindu nationalist base in
India’s ongoing general election, which ends on June 1.
Just days after voting started last month, the leading opposition party accused
Modi of using hate speech when he called Muslims “infiltrators” at a campaign
rally.
He also repeated a conspiracy theory that Muslims would someday outnumber
India’s majority Hindu population by having more children. If the opposition
Congress returns to power, he added:
[it] will gather all your wealth and distribute it among those who have more
children.
The Congress party has made no such commitments. But this claim has been
repeated by BJP politicians during the campaign and featured in a video on the
party’s Instagram account.
Many argue Modi’s openly anti-Muslim speeches reflect a sense of nervousness
about the opposition gaining traction in the election. But there is no denying
the fact the BJP has successfully created a perception of invincibility around
itself. Why has it long had such a powerful image despite widespread economic
distress?
To understand this, we need to look a bit closer at the history of right-wing
populism in India."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
