Waning inter-faith co-existence : Hindu populism and BJP identity politics in India

Abstract

In the last couple of decades, increasing number of multi-race and multi-religious countries witness inter-faith conflict. Numerous studies invoke on the significant role of political parties involvement in shaping the division through populism and identity politics, In India, BJP presumably plays a crucial contribution in the division of Hindu and the non-Hindus relations in India. The upper-class elite of Hindu who are member to BJP promoted exclusionary narratives of dominant religion and in result, Indian witnessed increasing amount of violence against its minorities. This study examines BJP identity politics and Hindu populism within the interfaith communities in India. It looks into the usage of religion by the BJP and its political rhetoric. It further investigates factors of Hindu populism that trigger conflict among Muslims, Christians, and the Dalits. By employing a qualitative research design, the study utilizes case study methods, constructed through descriptive discourse analysis based on speeches, and the media framing beside utilizing secondary materials across the libraries India was founded on the principles of peaceful co-existence by Gandhi but the wave of Hindu populism is creating issues for the minorities. It is expected that this study contributes to the additional narratives on populism and identity politics in academic sphere as it provides the process and solution for the current situation in India.