Page 11 - Pakistan Link - August 13, 2021

OPINION AUGUST 13, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P11

n By Dr Muqtedar Khan After 74 Years of Independence the Future of
University of Delaware, US of the Indian constitution as it is and
who are fighting to preserve its ethical

Democracy in India Depends on Its Muslims character and pluralistic culture.
n August 15th, 2021, India India was born a secular democ-
celebrates its 75th Indepen- racy and thanks to its long history of
Odence Day. India became religious pluralism it succeeded in re-
independent from the British empire maining so. But with the rise of Hindu
in 1947 and has since nationalism that seeks to privilege
then remained the Hindu Indians over others and re-
largest democracy in place constitutional values with ma-
the world. India has joritarianism, the fate of the secular
achieved much, be- constitution of India now depends on
coming the third big- Indian Muslims. If they lose their po-
gest economy in the litical battle against rising Hindutva,
world when adjusted for purchasing then India will lose its secular char-
power, inspired the world with its acter and not all its citizens will be
democratic and pluralistic values, equal under the law. As India enters
and its highly educated diaspora the fourth quarter century of its inde-
practically helps every country on pendence, I hope that all those
Earth to populate its scientific, tech- who care for Indian democracy and

nological, business, and educational its secular ethos are rooting for Indian
sectors. Muslims.
But unfortunately, in recent years (Dr Muqtedar Khan is a Professor
India, much in keeping with the global in the Department of Political Science
trend, has witnessed a terrible decline and International Relations at the Uni-
in the quality of its democracy and its versity of Delaware. He is from Hyder-

image has suffered significant damage. abad in India. He is the author of the

Its biggest flaw at this moment in histo- award-winning book “Islam and Good
ry is its harsh and oppressive treatment Governance: Political Philosophy of
of its religious minorities, especially Ihsan (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). His
Muslims. Scathing assessments of the essays have appeared in The New York

deteriorating democracy and human However, the onset and spread changing names and even considering society in many cities reminiscent of Times, The Wall Street Journal, The

rights situation in India have already of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was formal conversions to Hinduism to Kashmir or even Palestine — troops in Washington Post, The National Inter-

been made by the United States Com- also blamed on Muslims initially, ap- hide their Muslim identity. the cities, police suppressing protest- est, The Conversation, The Diplomat,
mission on International Religious pears to have put a hold on the Hindu- ers, and mobs attacking vulnerable mi- The Indian Express, Outlook India,

Freedom (USCIRF) that labeled it as a tva agenda for now. But comments by Rebellion norities. This could become the future The Wire and many other publications

Country of Particular Concern (CPC) senior BJP leaders like Subramaniam Not all Muslims are ready to as- of India — an Indian Intifada. worldwide. He hosts a YouTube show
in 2020 and again in 2021 and by the Swamy indicate that there is more to similate into the rising Hindu Rashtra. If the Modi government resumes called Khanversations and his website
Swedish research institute, Varieties of come, and soon. Many are ready to rebel. By rebellion, what some critics call its war against is www.ijtihad.org. Americankahani.
Democracy (V-Dem) that in its latest How are Indian Muslims re- I mean resorting to sustained mass Muslims when the pandemic even- com )
democracy report described India as sponding to this catastrophic national protest against discriminatory govern- tually subsides, the possibility of a
an “electoral autocracy”. The issue has transformation that intends to render ment policies. A case in point is the nationwide Indian Intifada becomes RESTRICTIONS FROM P18

already generated a point of discord them second-class citizens with no women-led Shaheen Bagh protests more imminent. Such a scenario is not citizens.
between US-India relations during physical, cultural, or economic securi- that lasted for four months, from De- far-fetched as we witnessed in the ear- The change in US advisory fol-

Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s re- ty and with much diminished religious cember 2019 to March 2020. It was ly months of 2020. Sustained protests lowed a visit to the United States by Pak-

cent visit to India. freedom? Based on my research on In- not an isolated occurrence. There were and state repression will undermine istan’s National Security Advisor Moeed
But ironically, as I will show in dian Muslims, I observe that there are the economy, drive away investors and Yusuf and Director General ISI Faiz Ha-

this essay, even as India is failing its three ways in which Indian Muslims The smartest thing that drastically reduce productivity and meed, although the development may or
Muslims, Indian Muslims are fighting are responding – assimilation, rebel- Indian Muslims, as a GDP. Democracy will be further erod- may not be related to the visit.

for their democratic rights and in do- lion, and resistance. Under some cir- community, have done ed, and India’s international standing Their talks focused on Afghani-

ing so preserving India’s constitutional cumstances, Muslims are assimilating will suffer. A nationwide Intifada by stan, with US officials seeking Pakistan’s

values, its democracy, and its pluralis- and adjusting to the emerging Hindu so far is that they have Indian Muslims will destabilize India cooperation in preventing a Taliban
tic ethos. Rashtra (state) and in other conditions eschewed the temptation for and neither the Hindu majority nor takeover of Kabul. Pakistan not only as-
they are revolting. But, by and large, a radicalization and armed the Muslim minority will benefit from sured Washington that it would not sup-

Decline of Secular Democracy vast majority of Muslim communities resistance. Violence would it. port a forcible takeover but also urged
In May 2019, the Bhartiya Janata in India are employing a hybrid strat- the Afghan government not to seek a
Party (BJP) won an absolute majority egy that involves selective assimilation justify the heavy-handedness The Third Way military victory.

in the parliament and for the second and selective opposition to Hindutva. of the state and delegitimize A vast majority of Indian Mus- US officials, in briefings to the me-
consecutive time despite less than stel- their grievances. Instead, lim communities are adopting a third dia and in speeches at think tanks, have
lar economic policies such as Demon- Hiding in Plain Sight they have chosen to way, neither assimilating nor rebelling. made it clear that Washington will not
etization and the Goods and Services Assimilation constitutes a sur- The third way is about smart electoral accept a Taliban takeover and persuade

Tax (GST). The BJP, recognizing its render to the Hindu nationalist agenda rally behind the secular politics based on alliance building. other nations as well not to recognize

victory as a resounding endorsement, that seeks to make Islam and Muslims constitution and engage in Indian Muslims are building electoral such a government.
not of its governance but its ideologi- invisible. Many Muslims are now try- mainstream politics. In a alliances with Dalits, the backward Washington has also indicated that
cal initiatives, proceeded to unleash ing to become less visible culturally and marginalized communities, with it would discontinue its economic sup-
a series of policies to further its Hin- and less assertive politically. They live way, they have turned the secular and left parties and with in- port to a Taliban-only government, even

dutva (Hindu nationalism) ideology. in India as Jews did in Nazi Germany, table on Hindutva. It is the tellectual upper-class Hindus who are though the war-torn country heavily de-
Narendra Modi-led BJP’s second term hiding in plain sight, keeping their re- Modi government that is still committed to a secular and demo- pends on US aid.
in the early days was Hindutva on ste- ligion hidden, and not attracting po- against the current Indian cratic India. One can see this in recent Discontinuation of economic assis-
roids. litical attention. Another example of constitution and seeks to electoral outcomes in states like West tance and lack of diplomatic recognition
In August 2019, within months this communal vanishing act can be Bengal, Kerala, and Telangana where could push Afghanistan into complete

of winning its second term of office, seen in the way German Americans overturn its core secular and Muslims have played an important isolation, creating serious problems for

the Modi government amended the vanished. There are 49 million Ameri- democratic character and role in defeating BJP in elections. Pakistan as well.

Indian constitution to essentially an- cans with German ancestry in the US, it is Indian Muslims who So far, the third way is largely Yusuf later told journalists that
nex Kashmir through a constitutional about 16%, roughly in the same pro- are now the guardians of limited to electoral politics. It appears during his 10-day stay in Washington no

coup. Vigilante groups associated with portion as Muslims in India but Amer- that the third way’s main strategy is to US official or lawmaker asked for a mili-
the Hindutva movement escalated the ican society and culture today is bereft the Indian constitution as defeat Hindutva forces at the polls and tary base in Pakistan. “The word base

lynching of Muslims and increased of any observable German influence. it is and who are fighting to hope that that will suffice to reverse the was not mentioned, not even once, dur-

violence against them with no seri- In many states where BJP is very preserve its ethical character de-democratization of Indian polity. ing our talks, except in the media,”

ous response from the government to strong, Muslims from lower eco- and pluralistic culture The smartest thing that Indian he said, adding, “Bases were not dis-
enhance the protection of the belea- nomic strata are hiding their religious Muslims, as a community, have done cussed at all from either side during this
guered community. In November of identity and changing their names to so far is that they have eschewed the trip because we have already made our
2019, the Supreme Court of India in rent, look for jobs and even become similar protests all over the country. temptation for radicalization and position clear. That chapter is closed.”

a very controversial decision handed street vendors in Hindu neighbor- Further, Hindutva provocations will armed resistance. Violence would jus- Earlier reports in both US and
over the land where the Babri Mosque hoods. While middle and upper-class undoubtedly trigger more such re- tify the heavy-handedness of the state Pakistani media claimed that the Biden
stood for centuries until it was de- educated Muslims are able to retain sponses populating the entire political and delegitimize their grievances. In- administration was seeking military

stroyed by Hindu activists in 1992 to their religious and cultural identity landscape with thousands of Shaheen stead, they have chosen to rally behind bases in Pakistan to influence develop-
a state-associated foundation to build to some extent, poor and uneducated Baghs. the secular constitution and engage ments in Afghanistan, particularly if the
a Hindu temple. In December of 2019, Muslims are finding it harder to af- The government’s response was in mainstream politics. In a way, they Taliban seized Kabul.

the Modi government passed the ford their Muslimness. There is a lot of heavy-handed and Hindutva gangs have turned the table on Hindutva. It At recent congressional hearings,
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), evidence that Muslims are adjusting to led and incited by Hindutva leaders is the Modi government that is against US officials did talk about using Paki-

which critics argue, along with a pro- this oppressive new normal. Ghazala rioted and attacked protesters. The the current Indian constitution and stani airspace for reaching Afghanistan

posed National Registry of Citizen- Wahab in her book “Born a Muslim: state looked the other way or some- seeks to overturn its core secular and and having bases in the region but never
ship, threatens the equal status and Some Truths About Islam in India” times even facilitated violence. There democratic character and it is Indian mentioned asking Pakistan for a base. –

citizenship of Indian Muslims. tells many stories of Muslims who are were battles between the state and civil Muslims who are now the guardians Dawn
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