Modi vs Trump: India Needs Radical Ideological Change

Trump hardly cares whether he gets any support from Indians or, for that matter, any immigrant community. He is attacking the foundation of US democracy, which adheres to the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. Modi and his supporters are doing the same in India. It does not have any moral right to ask for mercy

Hindutva forces will certainly find echoes of their ideology in US President Donald Trump’s toxic declarations. Be it immigrants, refugees, or minorities, the language used against them by Trump has a striking similarity with expressions used by the RSS and the BJP. For example, his executive order to shut off asylum at southern borders charges immigrants with passing through countries infested with communicable diseases. This is another way to tell them that they are diseased in themselves.

We could see similar phrases used in India for immigrants from Bangladesh or Rohingyas from Myanmar. We cannot cite any recent election where the BJP leaders did not raise the issue of illegal migrants. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were seen leading the attack on them. Trump’s language is as toxic as Modi’s expressions. We must recall how Modi had invoked the fear that they would snatch wedding chains and buffalos. He was referring to minorities. Trump uses similar phrases against immigrants.

The ideological similarity is not limited to one or another domain; it covers all the spheres, including economic, social, and political. He has sent federal employees overlooking diversity, equity, and inclusion on leave and revoked a 60-year-old order banning discrimination in hiring practices.

All these have parallels in the declarations and decisions of the Modi government. At times, they are harsher than what Trump would be doing or saying against minorities. He is targeting illegal immigrants, not legal migrants. We can take the example of forcing vendors and owners of eateries en route to pilgrimage in Uttar Pradesh to display names. This was done to deprive minorities of their jobs. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been known for his bulldozers overrunning houses belonging to minorities and selective police actions.

Indian media have not given much attention to the interesting fight between Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde and Trump over his policies towards illegal immigrants and the LGBT communities. However, it is very much relevant to the Indian situation.

“The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she said.

“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” said the bishop. Her plea for mercy on them angered Trump, so he demanded a public apology. He attacked by terming her a “Radical Left Hardline Trump Hater.”. Do these words not sound familiar? They are similar to the term ‘Urban Naxal’ coined by the Prime Minister. Modi also calls dissenters Modi haters. Though he takes refuge in his humble background.

If we expand the spar between the bishop and Trump a little, it surprises us how a religious preacher could speak on controversial topics with such clarity. She takes religion to a new height. Though the immediate context of her speech is limited to attacks on communities who are scared by Trump’s moves, it has a larger context too.

It has come at a time when Israel is still hard on Palestinians after a devastating and genocidal campaign against them in Gaza, and radical Islamists are gaining ascendance in the Middle East. For Indians, her voice echoes the views of Swami Vivekanand and Ramkrishna Paramhans, who preached compassion and humanity. Can we find any such voice in contemporary India? Mahakumbh is an example. We can see what kind of discourse and celebrations are going on there.

A stall was vandalised because it was selling literature preaching atheism. Some sadhus unhesitatingly speak politics but do not promote humanity and compassion. The overwhelming presence of the RSS and the BJP ensures the pursuance of the ideology of hatred. The ancient celebration has been reduced to a field of promoting sectarian politics of Hindutva.

A renowned preacher is doing Pooja to annex Pak-occupied Kashmir into India. The BJP and the RSS have promoted the issue to fan hyper-nationalism and communalism. This anti-Pakistan agenda helps the Hindutva forces to target Muslims.

Will the ideological similarity help India manage the Trump administration’s moves affecting Indian immigrants in the USA? Does Trump care a bit that he has the strong support of the right-wing in India? When we see reports about how 7.5 lakhs of illegal Indian immigrants are scared and taking shelter in Democratic Party-ruled states, it worries us. We can see how scary it is for legal immigrants undergoing caesarean operations before the February deadline to acquire birthright citizenship. Can India argue for mercy?

Trump hardly cares whether he gets any support from Indians or, for that matter, any immigrant community. He is attacking the foundation of US democracy, which adheres to the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. Modi and his supporters are doing the same in India. It does not have any moral right to ask for mercy.

We do not know what Indian diplomats might be saying to their US counterparts. They already know about the declining freedom of expression and the reducing democratic space in India. They know how badly the ruling party of India is treating its citizens from the minority community. It has the declared policy of not allowing Muslims to contest Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its ticket. The Modi government is left with very limited space to maneuver on these issues.

Can India recover its moral authority on the world stage? This could be done, but the way Modi and his supporters want. This could not be done by hollow proclamations of being Vishvaguru (Teacher of the World). Neither could it be done by false claims of being the most powerful leader of the world. These claims do not impress other countries. How fair we are in treating minorities, dissenters, and the powerless. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is the best example. He led a poor India, devastated by colonial exploitation of two centuries, but stuck to the principles of democracy, equality, and non-violence. His humanism impressed the entire world, including the Soviet Union, China, the USA, and the Third World.

(The author is a senior journalist. He has experience of working with leading newspapers and electronic media including Deccan Herald, Sunday Guardian, Navbharat Times and Dainik Bhaskar. He writes on politics, society, environment and economy)