WASHINGTON: As exit polls project a significant victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the leading international daily, The Washington Post, has raised concerns over the potential implications of Narendra Modi returning to power.
According to the publication, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party’s return to power could jeopardize the secular democracy of the country, as the BJP is seen to be advancing a Hindu nationalist agenda.
In its article, the paper writes that secular voices within India are concerned about the BJP’s return to power. There are apprehensions that the party might steer the nation towards autocracy, where Muslims and other minorities could face marginalization.
The Washington Post highlighted the BJP’s electoral strategy, which is often rooted in Hindutva ideology. This includes initiatives such as the construction of a temple at the site of a demolished mosque, the removal of Kashmir’s autonomous special status, and the implementation of citizenship laws perceived as discriminatory against Muslims and other minority groups.
It is pertinent to mention here that the seventh phase of polls to elect the 18th Lok Sabha ended on Saturday, with opposition parties raising concerns about the authenticity of the elections and the reliability of EVMs machines. They blamed BJP and ECP for alleged manipulation of the election data.
