Hindu Right and Indian Muslims: Interrogation of Their Adversarial Relations and Its Impact on Minority Rights

Presenter:

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Abstract

This paper examines the adversarial relations between India’s present Hindu Right regime and its impact on Indian Muslims; and how this is determining the present discourse of minority rights in India. While the present regime makes effort to demonstrate its commitment to Constitution though elaborate rituals and regular invocation of Ambedkar, the factis- in all of its policies it meticulously follows its anti- minority agenda. This has been evident in its campaign for NRCs and citizenship bill, and several other initiatives. While the regime appeals for the respect of rule of law when it favors it as was the case in Ayodhya verdict; it looks the other way when the Court pronouncements are running against its majoritarian ideology as was the case with the suggestion of the Court to form a separate law on lynching, for instance. By doing this, the Hindu Right regime advances it majoritarian ideology with in the framework of a secular and multi-cultural Constitution. In this paper, I build on a critical narrative on these developments- mainly focussing on the issue of NRC, Citizenship Debate and Ayodhya verdict. These initiatives by the Hindu Right regime, I argue, is deliberate, and driven carefully keeping its long term ideological agenda. One reason why these efforts are advanced so conveniently is because there is not adequate legal and constitutional scrutiny. I argue this will adversely impact the minority rights discourse in a fashion that it will seen nothing but a mere extension of majoritarian ideology. The standing of minority rights on its own will challenged and seen as an aberration.