PM Modi’s recent inauguration of BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi has sparked a wave of rhetoric within right-wing Hindu circles, perpetuating the idea that Modi is revered in the “original Islamic world”. In right-wing WhatsApp groups, messages celebrating the perceived “conquest of Abu Dhabi” and attributing this triumph to Narendra Modi’s leadership are being circulated.
This narrative gains particular significance when juxtaposed with Modi’s inauguration of a Ram temple at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid, just weeks prior. The subtext and connotations of these two events are heavily political.
Such actions may be utilised to undermine the concerns of Indian Muslims, suggesting that their anxieties are unfounded since Muslims elsewhere, particularly those considered “original” or Arab, do not object to these developments.
The argument that “Hindus are flourishing and thriving in Muslim heartlands” can be used to gaslight Muslims in India that only they are paranoid or delusional since Arab Muslims don’t have a problem at all.
While this perspective may be seen as reactionary, there have been claims suggesting that most temples outside India receive significant support and patronage from RSS-linked groups.
With the 2024 general elections inching closer, the timing of these events fuels the narrative of Hindu triumphalism, which polarises the voters and further marginalises the Muslim community in India. Muslim identity in India is increasingly targeted, especially in recent times, with the rise of Hindu right wing and the amplification of anti-Muslim sentiments.
Central to the targeting of Muslim identity is the historical perception propagated by the Hindu right-wing, which portrays Muslims as invaders or converts. Within this framework, converts are often viewed as ‘lesser Muslims’, reinforcing a hierarchy that marginalises certain segments of the Muslim population.
This hierarchical categorisation not only perpetuates divisions within the Muslim community but also serves to delegitimise their identity and rights within the broader social and political landscape of India.
The celebration of Modi as a symbol of Hindu triumphalism in Islamic territories underscores the entanglement of religious and political narratives, further alienating Muslim communities and reinforcing their status as the “other”.
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