by Bhabani Shankar Nayak 28 August 2020
As Indians are sinking amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, the makeup dependent, camera addicted, and selfie-savvy Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is busy with sharing his multitasking photos, his photography skills and his love for animals, birds, and wildlife. The utter economic and social crisis does not disturb his focus on the camera. The positive vibe photos of Modi feeding peacocks at his residence are flooding social media timelines. The idea is to make people believe in the compassionate character of Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi and represent his simplicity and love for animals. The petting of animals and birds for company and entertainment is not the same as unconditional love for animals. Some animal lovers are people, haters. The feudal and authoritarian leaders have always used animals to project their leadership in terms of power, strength, and courage. Jan Mohnhaupt (2020) in his book ‘Animals in National Socialism’ depicts the way animals were used in Hitler’s footage showing his love for animals and demanding obedience to his leadership. Adolf Hitler to Karl-Otto Koch of the Schutzstaffel (SS) of Nazi Germany was known for their love for animals and used pets for entertainment and diversionary strategy. Nazi propaganda used animals to undermine political opponents. There was no contradiction between love for animals and the Nazi death cult. Similarly, the love for animals cannot hide the evil Hindutva politics and policies of Modi led BJP government in India.
Under Modi’s watch, thousands of Muslims were killed during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002; as the Chief Minister of the state, he watched it silently. The rise of hate crime, the lynching of Muslims, attack on rationalists, and activists continue to grow in India under Modi’s watch as the PM of India. The recent Delhi riot has taken place directly under his watch. The ministers in Modi’s cabinet are known for their Islamophobic views and anti-Muslim statements in public. There is no doubt that Mr. Modi loves the camera more than animals and considers Muslims not as citizens but as Puppies. The hugging corporate heads and humiliating Muslims are twin pillars of Hindutva politics. The vilification campaigns against Muslims, secularists, and political opponents are everyday affairs. The brazen abuses of civil liberties and celebration of riots are daily reminders of the worsening of law and order situation after the formation of the central government by BJP under the leadership of Modi. It is important to identify how the love for animals and Hindutva politics of hate moves together in India. The subjugation of minorities and undermining the secular and democratic character of India is a defining feature of the Hindutva ideology in praxis.
Mr. Narendra Modi is trying to seduce Indian masses by showing his love for animals and hide all his failures as the PM of India. The ambiance of Modi’s photoshoot makes one feel as if Modi stays far away from the ugly realities of the majority of Indians. No amount of propaganda can provide relief to the pain of hunger. No amount of media management can hide the agrarian and unemployment crisis in India. The social crisis and foreign policy crisis make India looks as if there is no government in the country. The Hindutva anarchy is a systematic design to manufacture crises, which can be used as a shock therapy to control masses with the authoritarian culture of law, police, and court. The making of a democratic deficit is an opportunity for Hindutva fascist forces in India. The Modi’s jubilant photoshoot is a project to hide the darkness and dangers of Hindutva ideology. The policies of the Modi government display that it neither cares for animals nor for human beings.
The animal love narrative by Modi is myopic without loving fellow human beings irrespective of their religious background, food habits, and dress patterns. Citizenship rights are no less than animal rights but authoritarian politicians like Modi use animals’ love to hide their sinister design to diminish citizenship, democratic rights, and liberties. Hindutva politics of hate will not stop with Muslims, it will percolate to every level of Indian society. It is time to stand with Indian Muslims and other religious minorities to save citizenship rights and constitutional democracy in India. Make no mistake, the stripping of Indian Muslim’s citizenship right is a threat to the citizenship of Hindus in India. Diversity is India’s strength and the Indian’s pride. The Modi led BJP is opposed to the idea of diverse India. The idea of the Hindu nation by BJP is a cover for the corporate rule in India. Modi’s love for animals will not save the Indian economy from plummeting to new low every day.
It is time to defeat Modi led Hindutva’s fake propaganda with facts. The failure to stop the forward march of Hindutva would push Indian society to perpetual conflict within the country. There will be no peace and prosperity in India as long as there will be a Hindutva ideology. It is time to greet Modi’s false euphoria with mass demonstrations and civil disobedient movements across the country to save the idea of secular, liberal, and democratic India. The future of Indians depends on the defeat of Hindutva politics and its bigoted ideology. Political silence is no longer an option for Indians.