Politics of hate loses a key vote in India
The Muslim minority in the world鈥檚 two most populous countries, China and India, have lately felt very much under siege. Since 2017, China has shut mosques and rounded up its Uyghur Muslims for mass 鈥渞eeducation.鈥� In December, India passed a new citizenship law for migrants that purposely excludes Muslims. It was the first time that religion has been used to grant nationality despite India鈥檚 secular constitution. In other moves, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has signaled it seeks a Hindu-centric nation.
In each country, the anti-Muslim discrimination differs in scope and intensity. Yet one other difference stands out.
In India, which is the world鈥檚 largest democracy, both Muslims and non-Muslims have held sustained protests for two months against the new citizenship law, the largest demonstrations in decades. Even more important, voters appear to be in revolt. On Feb. 8, the BJP suffered a massive defeat in local elections in New Delhi, despite intense campaigning by the party鈥檚 leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With 20 million people, the nation鈥檚 capital is a microcosm of the country. The BJP won only 8 of 70 seats in the city鈥檚 assembly while the other seats went to the local Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man鈥檚 Party, or AAP). Its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, is a well-known anti-corruption activist who, as Delhi鈥檚 chief minister since 2013, has implemented popular anti-poverty projects. He opposes any fear-mongering against Muslims.
One of the AAP鈥檚 top leaders, Sanjay Singh, said the election result is a mandate against hate. Mr. Kejriwal says the vote 鈥渋s a victory for Mother India, for our entire country.鈥� Indeed, the election was seen as a referendum on Mr. Modi鈥檚 politics of division and his image as protector of Hindus, who are about 80% of the population.
The resistance against the BJP鈥檚 policies could go on. Even though the party won national elections last May, it has lost power in five states since 2018 and may lose more this year. In a democracy, where the principle of equality for all people before the law is sacred, the use of hatred to win votes or to hold power is easily exposed.
