There seems to be no end in sight by much of the western press, even vigorously to try to sully, if not ruin India’s reputation. Those efforts are especially nowadays being pointed against the nationally popular Narendra Modi-led government, including most recently it’s amendments to the National Citizenship Act. These hyper-criticisms, apparently manic in tone at times, are coincidentally being made in the middle of India’s national election campaign.
The legal reforms and updates represent the increased recognition of persecutions, not only against Hindu religious followers but as well as on Buddhists Christians, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs especially happening in Pakistan, though written in the legislation to include those from all neighboring Muslim nations. This reflects the ground reality and refugee laws that do not exclude persecuted Muslims from such countries being accepted into India.
Though, you would think from most western broadcasts and a general google internet search that these changes are calamitous to peace in the Indian subcontinent. They are definitively not, but the outrage from such western media outlets, often owned or controlled by western financial oligarchs, like US equity and hedge funds makes one wonder whether there are alternative motivations behind the heated rhetoric. That is to use the religious wedge to stir up anti-Modi sentiment prior to the national elections, rather than these media controlled by western hegemonic financiers having any real or enough concerns for Indian Muslins. That certain Wall Street financiers like George Soros and friends and Washington neo-cons are sweating more than somewhat about a very likely Modi-led, reelected government with a strong majority. One that will further not allow these “new colonialists” from telling New Delhi what to do. And will prevent them from taking so much economic and political control in India that they have over their own western legislatures?
Simply speaking, the current New Delhi government is not for the turning to anyone’s new neo-imperial agenda pushed onto their citizens. That includes not being “blackmailed” through the western media into succumbing to western special interests and exceptionalism when these foreign oligarchies through their media agents seemingly and ignorantly try to embarrass the Indian government over human rights issues, going way overboard on them. That includes trying to distract Indians, in general and voters to forget their country has one of the highest growth rates in prosperity, remarkable job creation, an amazing record on reducing poverty, and new spectacular achievements in space and science.Yet, is there a rightful proportionate amount of coverage on this by the western press, including on the new truly digital revolution the Modi government has successfully pursued? Simply, no. Or does the western media prefer to focus overly extensively on unneeded controversy on street protests of farmers and to strike up tensions, irresponsibly to hurt the Modi government electorally? Yes likely?
As covered previously in one of my pieces, there is evidence of western interference on this issue. And correspondingly, can one legitimately wonder that this mass pushing by western media and some leaders there is to stir up Muslims, if not Islamists that is not helpful for all Indians sense of security and inclusiveness? This is a well-deserved question. And is tantamount to outside, even possibly dangerous foreign interference.
On the positive side Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State and President Biden last year complimented Prime Minister Modi and his government for being so successful. This was done in Washington on a state visit. And Blinken continues to do so But which Washington is mostly in control? The Washington that overall sees India the good or by hardliners, one of whom seems to have been let go, recently. That is ex Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, apparently someone overly focused one might say on Ukraine and Russia in particular. It is in my mind a major deficiency for the US administration to get overly caught up in “Russophobia”. Instead, it should be building better and even stronger bridges in and to Asia, especially, India. So what on earth is main Washington feeding, western media about India? Is the West losing the ball on this huge subcontinent and bulwark defence of democracy in the region with massive economic opportunities? Because of these new amendments to the citizenship act they wish to disrupt such a major positive, bilateral relationship? Really? How bizarre!
Rather, as a kind of self-protecting responses to these and increased discrimination of India, Indians and the diaspora, the Indian government might consider certain additional amendments to the citizenship act. Ones that might be a helpful reminder to these “manic”, hegemonic and hyper western media oriented critics and their sycophants in the Opposition.That there is a new real and independent ascendant India.One that they need to better appreciate and give space to in the ever emerging multi-polar universe. Changes that would bolster India. After all, it is not to forget that for too many decades, especially previous to the current government so many Indians have emigrated leading to serious losses of talent. In fact, “…according to an Expat Insider 2021 survey, 59% of Indians moved abroad for their careers, more than 10% higher than the global average of 47.” The government is more than chiselling away on this, thankfully by its stellar reforms.
Yet, there are now millions of many Indians or of Indian ethnicity so well-placed in the West that is largely economically stagnant. So, they are already shifting more attention to fast growing, dynamic India. That such a diaspora, so important to the US high-tech industry is beginning to look at more seriously working in their motherland or ancestral nation. This is especially so in the burgeoning space, science and related security areas. If enough of the diaspora moves to India, the country will even jump by further leaps and bounds including militarily? So specifically, why not make further amendments to the National Citizen Act to make it easier for people of Indian heritage who are not citizens to get residency more easily or even citizenship if they have valuable skills? Now, back to the so-called Muslim question. As the Indian “homeland” minister has stated, India has generous provisions to welcome persecuted Muslims around the world. So, British broadcasters or US based CNN, for example should better read the Indian constitution and sound legal interpretations of it before “foaming at the mouth” about religious persecutions as being a regularly accepted India trait or government policy. Even heads of international legitimate organizations have recognized the inclusiveness of the Modi government and some of them Muslim focused. Mr Al-Issa, “Top Muslim World League Leader Hails PM Modi Over Inclusive Growth” is a notable headline (Business Insider).
While other religions should be given their space, indeed let us remember that Hindu religious followers represent almost 80 percent of the population while Muslims represent about 15 percent and other religions smaller portions. (Wikipedia) Of course, all minorities of legal religions deserve respect. What is really hypocritical, one may argue from some British reporters and their friends who employ them in the West is they skip over the fact that the head of state in the United Kingdom, (former India colonizer) is the head of the Anglican Christan church. Is anyone really of different faiths or the India. government criticizing that their monarch essentially cannot be Muslin or of another denomination. By the way, an Anglican Church which I am well familiar with facilitated colonialism and excessive Britishness in the South. And interestingly, the German government collects specific taxes for largely the main Christian denominations. But Prime Minister Modi is rightfully proud of being spiritually devote and demonstrating that. For the West, like countries such as France that are generally irreligious that you essentially cannot wear any religious symbols in public, and not go swimming in a swimming suit that looks like a scuba diver suit because the wearer is doing so out of a perceived respect of their Muslim religion, a fact becomes clear. The western establishment overall there wants to sanitize religion completely from politics. They could not care whether the concept of western human rights was significantly contributed to by religious ideas even in the UN human rights charter that included them in the drafts by a Canadian and Frenchman.
Simply speaking, Indians are not going to interfere with French religious restrictions, secularism and morality. But please, western democracies that look to many in the South to be in spiritual, social and family values and post-modern shambles do not push hyper-aggressively attacks from your rather undemocratic oligarchical hegemony and their media “pit bulls’ “attempt to go for the Modi government “jugular”. And not coincidentally before the elections and using national citizenship legislation that will help undocumented refugees and India cohesiveness in the movement to the global top or near top.
Peter Dash, an educator, has lived in the Global South for many years including Southeast Asia. He writes extensively on geopolitics and has taught at number of universities in Northeast Asia.