By Interaction desk
Alain Dieckhof, director of CERI (Center of International Relations) hosted a lively conference this evening at SciencesPo for Christophe Jaffrelot. The subject was “India on the eve of the elections: assessment of the Modi government”. This was first conference hosted by SciencesPo on the region post Pulwama and was eagerly awaited by journos, academics and think-tanks.
For context, Jaffrelot is an pre-eminent voice in France on subjects related to South Asia. He is, in particular, considered an Indo-Pak expert and widely quoted by the media and frequently consulted by Quai d’Orsay, especially on matters related to Pakistan. Without any doubt, Jaffrelot’s voice holds a lot of weight in France.
Please find below some observations on the conference:
Definitely Jaffrelot made no Indian friends during this conference as he took a very aggressive tone via-à-vis Modi. With some Indians present in the audience, there was retaliation from their side, needless to say, which led to some raised voices.
Jaffrelot claimed that India has just gone through five years of “ethnic democracy” with majoritarian nationalism (Hindutva) imposing its identity on everyone in India. Frequently quoted Orwell.
Compared how India resembles Israel now. The only difference being that Israel has the supremacy of Jews enshrined in the Constitution (Israeli Declaration of Independence as Israel has no formal Constitution). India doesn’t have Hindutva in its Constitution but Jaffrelot believes that India is moving towards codifying it in its Constitution as demanded by RSS. RSS’ goal is to change the constitution to enshrine Hindutva.
Hinduism is constantly being promoted on political scene with all minorities being victim of it.
India is beginning to rewrite its history. Some egregious examples were displayed. More than 1500 changes were made to school textbooks rewriting India’s history. Jaffrelot claimed that Nehru has simply been wiped off school textbooks in Rajasthan. Similarly in another state, textbooks are claiming that Maharana Pratap won the famous battle of Haldighati against Akbar (when he lost it).
Fake news is being institutionalized and history is also a victim of that. Ideological reconstruction is being carried out at massive scale.
According to Jaffrelot, this ethnic narrative transcends religion. More history would be rewritten to reconcile the fact that Aryans themselves were invaders and that these Hindus per se aren’t sons/daughters of soil.
Indian rationalists’ (Indian Rationalist Association) are trying to stand up against this system and they are being targeted by RSS. Jaffrelot names three rationalists recently assasinated by RSS “criminals”.
Similarly liberal academics and NGOs are being targeted by the BJP government as well. Jaffrelot claims that JNU’s budget has been drastically cut by Modi government to get the liberal academics in line. Similarly Foreign Contribution Regulation Act has been applied on NGOs across the board. A number of NGOs receiving foreign funding are seen by the India’s central government as involved in anti-development activism and have this been shut down by the Indian government. FCRA is an act to consolidate the law to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals and associations. Because of this the number of NGOs in India has gone down from 33k to 13k. Jaffrelot names Greenpeace, Teesta’s NGOs Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace license being cancelled.
Same goes for journalists who are targeted for not towing the Hindutva line.
Jaffrelot was amazed by the submission and docility of Muslims in these circumstances (with the notable exception of Jammu and Kashmir).
Christians as well as Christian NGOs have not been spared. Jaffrelot mentioned assasination of pastors and nuns.
Jaffrelot then mentioned different anti-Muslim campaigns run with the tacit acceptance of Modi government. The first campaign was launched in the autumn of 2014 and was called “Love Jihad”. The second campaign profiled “homecoming ceremonies” to “reconvert” religious minorities back to Hinduism. The rhetoric surrounding these ceremonies paints followers of Islam and Christianity as “stolen property” that Hinduism is now rightfully “reclaiming”. Once again ethic tangent is covered with religion. Third example given was that of “ghettoïsation” of Indian municipality laws. In Ahmedabad and Baroda, a Muslim family cannot shift.
To a Hindu majority neighborhood. Thus Muslims are being forced to stay in their own neighborhoods. This model is beginning to be applied all over India. Similarly, Muslims cannot pray in public anymore in Hindu majority areas. And finally cow protection movement being run all over India by RSS, resulting in public lynching of Muslims (gave example of Cow Protection Task Force created in Maharashtra).
These Muslim lynchings are systematically filmed and shared on social media to achieve the desire “chilling effect”.
Gave example of the utilisation of National Security Act to arrest Muslims transporting cows or being butchers.
Similarly vigilant groups are acting in connivance and in cohort with local police to intimidate minorities.
Jaffrelot spent some time talking about RSS and how it was made up of higher castes Hindus who are feeling disenfranchised with positive discrimination and quota systems for lower castes. Gave example of higher caste Rajputs who are academically nowhere and are now wondering about their future and blaming minorities for taking their rightful position in society.
Police has been totally politicized and is being used to further Hindutva agenda.
This Hindutva nationalism is now operating on grass roots level and Jaffrelot openly wondered if India has gone past the point of no return. He rhetorically asked if political alternance might not make a societal difference in case Modi loses the elections.
Talked about what he called “Chowkidar effect” of Modi. Jaffrelot said that Modi was taking a leaf out of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s famous press conference when ZAB said that there are two ZABs: One in front of you and the other in all of us. Basically Chowkidar effect is vigilantism at individual level (and Modi is encouraging it).
Modi is running the elections on Pakistan card (Defence) and Chowkidar effect (anti-corruption drive).
Jaffrelot claims that Modi is not credible anymore on economic development and that’s why he’s using Pakistan and Chowkidar card. In five years, Modi has destroyed 20 million of jobs instead of creating jobs, thanks in part to demonetization.
Jaffrelot then demolished Modi’s narrative on anti-corruption and how incestuous of a relationship he has with business circles. He openly called it “Crony Capitalism”. The rich has gone richer in Modi’s era and all the business circles have aligned themselves with Modi’s agenda so that they can continue their business (gave many examples of Ambani).
Modi’s contacts own all the electronic media in India now and a massive majority of media outlets have aligned themselves with Modi as well to survive. Thus the Modi narrative is being repeated over and over again.
A lot of people in audience were shocked at such realities in India and asked Jaffrelot why Western governments were not crying out loud. His reply was: 1) Western countries’ economic agenda with India; 2) how West is using India for “China Containment Drive” (formation of coalition etc to encircle China) and 3) Islamophobia of the West (how can a Hindu be a terrorist? Muslims are always the terrorists etc.)
At the end, concerning Pakistan, Jaffrelot reiterates his PoV that Pakistan’s establishment was behind LeT and JeM and directly behind Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama. Although he did precise that Pulwama was conducted by an Indian and not a Pakistani.