New Delhi: India is witnessing an alarming wave of saffronization infiltrating its institutions under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led regime, spearheaded by Narendra Modi, said political experts and analysts.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, the systematic imposition of Hindutva ideology is reshaping the country’s political and social fabric, leaving religious minorities increasingly marginalized and vulnerable.

Analysts point to the judiciary and armed forces as areas where saffronization has extended its reach, with serious implications for justice and democracy. The Indian judiciary has come under scrutiny for key verdicts, including those on the Hijab ban, Babri Masjid demolition, and the revocation of Article 370, which analysts argue reflect a Hindutva-driven bias. These decisions have been criticized for aligning with the Modi government’s agenda, sidelining justice, and undermining minority rights.

The agenda of saffronization also includes efforts to impose Hindu hegemony through cultural erasure. This includes renaming cities and landmarks with Muslim roots and rewriting history, which are seen as strategies to reshape India into a Hindu state. The Modi government’s policies are perceived as a cultural war against Muslims and other minorities, threatening their lives, rights, and freedoms.

International observers have expressed concern that the saffronization of India poses a significant risk not only to its democracy but also to global peace. They stress the urgent need for the international community to intervene to prevent India from descending into a state driven by Hindu extremism.

Saffronization refers to the ideological transformation of India’s political, social, and institutional frameworks to align with Hindutva, the Hindu nationalist ideology propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The term is derived from saffron, a color historically associated with Hinduism and Hindu nationalist movements.

The post Saffronization in India Sparks Concerns Over Democracy and Minority Rights appeared first on pakistannewsgazette.com.