Periodista: We welcome Professor Alejandro Godoy, geopolitical consultant and expert on Asian affairs. Professor, welcome. Good morning.

Professor: Good morning. As always, it is a pleasure to be here with you.

Periodista: Professor Alejandro, thank you for always accepting our invitations. Let's briefly contextualize this nationality law. It is striking that the law was passed in 2019, but it has only now been given the green light, and it is also being accused of being discriminatory.

Profesor:It is important to begin by stating that India's British past has left a profound mark on two fundamental aspects of Indian politics, both domestic and foreign: its leadership in what was once known as the Third World, from which its current status as an emerging power stems, and, on the other hand, the Kashmir conflict, which is also a highly significant juncture. Within the context of this law, there is a word that holds great relevance: Hindutva. What is Hindutva? It is a term used to refer to the Hindu nationalist ideology that emerged in response to the various processes described in connection with the supremacy of the Hindu nation. Today, it is the term used by the ruling party, the nationalist party known as the Bharatiya Janata Party.

This law, which was enacted in 2019, practically halfway through Narendra Modi's first term in office, and which we now know will mark a decade of his rule in 2024, has been established because the nationalist party is facing one of its most significant crises. The world is experiencing a severe economic crisis. However, the growth indicators that were expected for 2023 and the beginning of 2024 by the Modi government have disappointed a large portion of the Hindu nation. Consequently, this law emerges as a highly significant experiment.

Additionally, approximately 14.2% of India's population is Muslim. While this is a significant number, it is not a majority of India's total population, which is over 1.42 billion people. This figure is particularly relevant given that, unfortunately, the Muslim population has the highest rates of illiteracy and landlessness, and makes up a large proportion of those considered to be living in extreme poverty in India.

It is also worth remembering that when this law began to be discussed in December 2019, there were very large protests. One particular incident that stands out is that of a student from Jamia Millia University who lost an eye during the repression of that time, on December 15, 2019. As a result, the Muslim population is also protesting today covering one of their eyes to commemorate this event.

The law had already been passed, but due to the economic crisis in India, as well as the upcoming regional elections in the country, there is a desire to weaken the Muslim population, which, as mentioned, is a significant portion of the population. This is why a citizen census is being implemented in various states.

However, it is important to remember that the state where the Muslim population is facing the most pressure is Assam. So far, nearly 1.5 million Muslims have been found there. This case exemplifies the draconian, that is, the retrograde and archaic /ar_KE_ik/ nature of this law, as it requires proof that these populations have lived in the same province for three generations, which is practically impossible to verify.

Therefore, it is a law that clearly aims to segment this population and force them out of several provinces where they are seen to hold the majority of the census. This is why it is quite dangerous, and as I mentioned, Hindutva, Hindu extremist /eks_TRI_mist/ nationalism, is the main concern of India's foreign policy.

Periodista:Professor, you mentioned the model of extreme nationalism under Narendra Modi. And that is what he has wanted to implement since he became Prime Minister. In this context, why does he want to grant Indian citizenship to people from other regions of the world, such as Pakistan or Bangladesh? What benefits would they receive? Or what is Narendra Modi's goal in relation to nationalism?

Profesor:he is seeking to establish a coalition, a significant one, given that India has aspired to return to the bloc that we call as the "Indian subcontinent" since the 1920s. This aspiration is reaffirmed under the government of Narendra Modi, seeking out these former countries that formed a very important coalition and that were part of India’s territory, including Bangladesh. We know that India has never overcome that step in the early 1970s when Bangladesh became a state. Therefore, they would also have another quite interesting outlet to the sea within the geography of the continent and this Asian region.

Therefore, it would seem highly significant for Narendra Modi to shelter the inhabitants of these countries, evidently seeking a greater benefit in a considerable geographical area. However, within India itself, Muslims are also being weakened in order to prevent them from being seen as a powerful force in the potential elections that we can see the nationalist party might lose.

The Indian parliament is made up of 543 seats, and Muslims hold 125 seats. They represent around 15% of the electorate. This is a significant number, and in the state of Assam, the Muslim population is almost 34%. In this sense, he is pursuing two goals. One, to weaken the Muslims. On the other hand, by sheltering people of other religions from neighboring countries that were once part of Indian territory, such as Bangladesh, he seeks to keep creating a stronger nation through India. He wants the supremacy of Indian territory to be recognized in the coming years.

Periodista: Now that you mentioned India's population, considering that in 2023 it became the most populous country in the world, it is important to understand the religious composition of India and to identify those who are considered a religious minority in this country.

Profesor:On the one hand, since the government of Jawaharlal Nehru /ya_WA-jal_ NEU_ro/, that is, when India became a state in 1948, the constitution has sought to be highly accommodating of all religions. We are talking about a multicultural, multiethnic country with over 300 religious creeds. Hinduism is obviously the most important religion, with around 83% of the population today. However, in this context, there is a significant number of other religious beliefs: Buddhists, Jains, Christians, Catholics, animists, and others.

What is most concerning is that within Hinduism, which is practically the official religion, there are these ultra-nationalist offshoots, such as the Hindutva movement. Before Modi's arrival, there was a peaceful coexistence between the different religions. It is also worth remembering that when Modi was governor in the 1990s, there were reports of mistreatment of Muslims. Therefore, this is not new. We see India as a multi-ethnic nation, but where increasingly, for example with the Muslim religion, there is an effort to make it invisible. It was already evident almost two years ago that, for instance, Muslim markets were beginning to be closed. In other words, these measures are not new. They began in earnest five years ago with the passage of this law, but it is in 2024, in this first quarter, that the measures have been implemented with the greatest force.

Periodista: The country boasts religious diversity yet harbors discrimination. So, who exactly is eligible for this law? To illustrate, let’s consider the Rohingya people, expelled from Myanmar and currently residing in one of the world's largest refugee camps in Bangladesh. Are they considered people without an identity? Would they be able to reach India and apply for this law? Or how would their situation be handled?

Profesor:That's the most complex aspect. This law references the term "stateless person." This refers to individuals who cannot prove a certain amount of time, a certain number of generations, of being settled in the country; especially in some provinces that are more relevant to the issue of the electoral census. They will not be able to integrate themselves into the community and, most worryingly, in the case of the Rohingya for example, India would not be interested in them arriving and settling in the territory due to their Muslim faith. So, it would be another point of entry, but they would not be able to integrate into the population

This law has been so controversial that even representatives of the government itself have been heavily criticized and removed from their positions due to their inability to prove that they have lived for nearly three generations within the territory of certain provinces. Therefore, it does not foster a strategic alliance within the population; rather, it is more about control. The aim is to have a more specific census of religions, and unfortunately, what is being damaged is the multi-ethnic nation that India is.

Periodista: This topic is of great importance, professor, regarding the nationality law in India that has already begun to be implemented and that would favor certain religious minorities as well as people from the region. We were speaking with Professor Alejandro Godoy, a geopolitical consultant and expert on Asian affairs. Thank you very much for joining us.

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