My father was born in India and as a young man he fought for Indian independence but equally as importantly, he fought for India not to be partitioned and to embrace a secular constitution. He failed in the first but was proud along with his college friends to have achieved the second. My father lived and died a Hindu but spent much of his life in Britain where I and my siblings were born and grew up. He would be the complete antithesis of Modi Man, and this can be understood by an answer to a question I posed to him when I was fifteen. The context of the question is not important but the question I asked him was “Am I fucking Hindu,” his response is burnt on my metaphorical soul, “I may have contributed to your creation, but I never want you to be my reflection.” A Hindu and a father generations ahead of his time. If he were alive today, he would be appalled at his place of birth’s lurch towards Hindu nationalism. This week Modi was the guest of honour at the opening of the newly built temple in Ayodhya, a temple built on the site of a former 16th-century mosque. The mosque was torn down by fanatical Hindu nationalists in 1992 as they believed this was the birthplace where the mythological deity Ram was born. The event triggered a bout of sectarian violence in which 100’s of Muslims were killed. The staged managed consecration of the temple was televised, where Modi was centre stage, along with images of the deity Ram. By pure coincidence, all this was happening in an election year. This showing of crass Hindu piety deepens Modi’s appeal amongst Hindu nationalists like the RSS, in an election year where he is expected to romp home and win an unprecedented third term. A young girl interviewed by a BBC journalist in Ayodhya said that this was the most important day in her life as God was coming back home. Just to be clear in Hindu philosophy God is omnipresent, which means she/he is everywhere, that is every nook and cranny of the universe. Ps, I am an atheist.
India has changed under Modi’s premiership, yes, the economy has improved along with a creeping authoritarianism and a press that feels cowed. India has fallen to 150th out of 180 in terms of press freedom. Journalists who criticise Modi’s government are often harassed by his supporters and other authorities including the police. The BBC offices in Delhi were raided in early 2023 under the guise of evading taxes. The fact is, the offices were raided because the BBC transmitted a documentary criticising the Indian premier. Mr Modi’s billionaire oligarchs are buying up media outlets to spread government propaganda. The government has also introduced new rules that they will be the single arbiter of what is fake or false news in the digital world. Amnesty International has also highlighted restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly. After being targeted by Modi’s government in 2020, Amnesty was forced to close its operations in India. Late last year police in Delhi raided the homes of respected journalists who reported for a new organisation known for their forensic scrutiny of Modi’s government. This feels more like a country on the trajectory to the other side of the McMahon line (the de facto line between India and China). The Indian public is either unmoved or unaware of the threat that these actions pose to an important pillar of Indian democracy. Let us not forget Kashmir which was deprived of its special status granted under section 370 of the Indian Constitution as the only Muslim-majority state. Modi’s government have been accused of trying to change the demographics of the state by gerrymandering constituencies, has seen the registration of some two million newly registered voters, where the internet is regularly disconnected and a state which is heavily militarised, does it remind you of somewhere.
The next two decades are India’s, in terms of economic growth, increased prosperity, becoming a scientific and space superpower and its growing geopolitical status, all good. Modi’s narrative goes something like this, we Hindus were shagged by the Moguls, screwed by the British, undermined by minorities and I, Narinder Modi, will make Hindustan Great Again. The road to greatness will also involve undermining India’s secular constitution, increasing authoritarianism, the erosion of freedom of expression and the press, meddling with the judiciary and finally, the embracing of Hindu nationalism, these are the things that all Indians should fear most.
Suneil Sharma
25th January 2024
The Gob 
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