It is really surprising that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won national elections in a landslide. This is an alarming situation for India. The BJP is a right-wing party and the results show a major shift in the Indian political landscape.
It indicates radicalization of Indian society. It is true that the Congress-led government had disappointed the Indians but opting for a right-wing party, known for its hawkish stance toward minorities particularly Muslims, show that Indian society has undergone a radical change. India’s secular credentials are at stake.
One might argue that it was the dismal performance of the Congress-led government and excellent marketing and PR exercise of the BJP and its prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi that lead to this landslide victory. Isn’t it strange that majority of Indians chose a religious party instead of secular elements. I hope Indians are aware of the consequences of their decision.
India currently stands divided and polarized as never before. We can safely assume that Indians no longer support secularism. They have completely forgotten the role of the Sangh Parivar since independence from the British in 1947. They are hell bent on imposing a religious agenda on India and to make it a Hindu state. It seems that majority of Indians support this idea. This is not a good sign for the world’s largest democracy. It seems that we will soon witness a new India — a Modi-fied version perhaps. — Lala, Jeddah
Modi-fication of India
