MAHNOOR ANSAR
ISLAMABAD: Participants of a roundtable discussion were of the view that a third term for
Prime Minister Modi will have serious implications for religious minorities in India. The
discussion was held at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).
President IRS Ambassador Jauhar Saleem referred to some recent incendiary statements of
leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to highlight the anti-Muslim stance of the
party. He maintained that while it is easier for a hard-liner political party to resolve outstanding
issues with other countries, the BJP seems reluctant to normalize relations with Pakistan.
Former foreign secretary of Pakistan Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry stated that India was
showing growing tendency towards fascism under the BJP. He added that instead of wanting to
leave a legacy of peace in the region, Prime Minister Modi was aiming at regional domination.
Dr Serena Hussain, Associate Professor of sociology at the Centre for Trust Peace and Social
Relations, Coventry, UK, said that BJP’s policies were leading to worrisome extremist trends
among Indian diaspora communities as well.
Professor Emeritus of Commonwealth in the School of Advance Studies at the University of
London Professor James Manor maintained that the polarizing rhetoric of the BJP during its
election campaign was a sign of weakness and cautioned against taking a BJP victory in the
election for granted.
Pakistan’s former envoy to China Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi related the rising religious
fundamentalism in India to a global wave affecting America and Europe. Dr Hamid Iqbal,
Faculty Member at the Department of International Relations at the National Defence University,
shed light on the ideological discourse of Hindutva which was polarizing the Indian society
while Modi’s economic policies were adversely impacting the middle class.
Former Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
(AJK), Ms Farzana Yaqoob argued that India was obsessed with Pakistan and its obsession could
lead, once again, to use anti-Pakistan sentiment as an election campaign slogan, like it had done
in the past.
Political Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Human Rights Ms Urooj Raza Sayyami
highlighted the measures introduced by the Modi government to control and manipulate the print
and electronic media.
Prominent current affairs commentator, Dr Hassan Bokhari, argued that BJP was focusing on
divisive rhetoric because it resonates with the Hindu electorate.
