India’s Muslims are in a bind: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist BJP explicitly exclude and routinely attack the country’s largest minority, but the political opposition is silent, too afraid to jeopardize its base of support. Feyaad Allie argues in the current issue of the Journal of Democracy that, while India’s democracy may be resilient, its liberal democracy is in danger.
How is India at once maintaining democracy while also rolling back key democratic safeguards? The following Journal of Democracy essays explore India’s complex democratic history and its prospects for the future.
India’s New Minority Politics
The ruling BJP has long sought to sideline Indian Muslims. But even the opposition is opting to exclude them politically. Muslims’ chances at greater representation remain dim.
Feyaad AllieWhy India’s Democracy Is Dying
Under Narendra Modi, India is maintaining the trappings of democracy while it increasingly harasses the opposition, attacks minorities, and stifles dissent. It can still reverse course, but the damage is mounting.
Maya TudorHow India’s Ruling Party Erodes Democracy
The BJP has won two successive national elections, but it refuses to respect the rights of Muslims. Is democracy on a collision course with liberalism?
Ashutosh VarshneyThe Rise of India’s Second Republic
While he did not achieve the sweeping victory many predicted, Narendra Modi led his ruling coalition to a third consecutive victory. In so doing, he is laying the foundation for a new political order in which India is simultaneously more democratic and more illiberal.
Milan VaishnavThe Authoritarian Roots of India’s Democracy
To say that Indian democracy is backsliding misunderstands the country’s history and the challenges it faces: A certain authoritarianism is embedded in India’s constitution and political structures.
Tripurdaman SinghThe Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy
It is true that politics under the BJP is a break from the past. But attempts to reduce the country’s present condition to democratic backsliding misunderstands the moment and is an injustice to India’s journey as a democracy.
Rahul Verma
Subscribe here to have curated collections like this one and other Journal of Democracy news delivered directly to your inbox.
Image credit: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images