Demolishing Harmony—The Politics Behind Religious Site Destruction in Delhi
The letter penned by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has set off a political storm, with allegations of the sanctioned demolition of Hindu and Buddhist religious structures during a “Religious Committee” meeting on November 22. Atishi’s claims, backed by what she describes as “documentary evidence,” accuse Saxena of disregarding the cultural and religious significance of these sites, fueling perceptions of insensitivity or calculated arrogance.
Saxena has dismissed the accusations as baseless. However, the controversy reflects a broader undercurrent of religious tension that has escalated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule. Since his rise to power in 2014, the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have advanced a Hindutva agenda that critics argue systematically marginalizes minorities while deepening religious divides.
The alleged targeting of Hindu and Buddhist structures, ostensibly to project an image of impartiality, fits into a pattern of the BJP’s strategy to legitimize its actions against minority communities. By creating a façade of “balanced” demolitions, the party seeks to justify its ongoing demolition of Muslim and Christian sites—actions that have been widely criticized as discriminatory.
This is not the first time India’s religious fault lines have been exploited for political gain. The 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid remains a grim milestone in India’s communal history, setting the stage for decades of religious polarization. Under BJP rule, incidents of vandalism and arson targeting Christian churches and schools have increased, as have attacks on mosques, often during communal violence. The government’s inadequate response in such cases has only exacerbated tensions.
The crackdown on Sikh protests during the farmers’ agitation and the suppression of pro-Khalistan sentiment reflect a broader effort to silence minority voices. Anti-conversion laws in several BJP-ruled states have further curtailed religious freedoms, particularly for Christians and Muslims. The abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 similarly undermined the political autonomy of a Muslim-majority region, intensifying military presence in areas of religious significance.
The alleged decision to demolish Hindu and Buddhist structures, despite the BJP’s Hindutva ideology, could be interpreted as an attempt to project impartiality. However, such actions risk being perceived as performative, masking deeper systemic biases against India’s minority communities. These demolitions are not a deviation from the Hindutva playbook but rather an extension of it—an attempt to simulate fairness while continuing a broader agenda of marginalization and division.
India’s domestic religious policies have not gone unnoticed on the international stage. Arab nations, despite hosting significant Indian expatriate populations and permitting the construction of temples within their borders, must confront the dissonance between their hospitality and India’s treatment of its Muslim population. While Indians enjoy economic opportunities in the Gulf, their government’s actions at home threaten to undermine the shared values of pluralism and mutual respect.
Western democracies, too, must grapple with India’s contradictions. As the world’s largest democracy, India’s actions set a troubling precedent for how minority communities are treated under the guise of majority rule. Diplomatic platforms must be used to hold India accountable for its domestic policies, which risk destabilizing not only its internal harmony but also its relationships with global partners.
A Crossroads for India’s IdentityThe demolition of religious structures in Delhi—whether Hindu, Buddhist, or minority sites—underscores a critical moment in India’s political trajectory. The BJP’s Hindutva ideology seeks to rewrite history, casting Muslim rulers as oppressors and Hindu nationalism as the country’s defining ethos. This narrative, however, comes at a steep cost, eroding India’s pluralistic fabric and tarnishing its image as a secular democracy.
As India stands at this crossroads, its leaders must decide whether to embrace the inclusive ideals enshrined in its constitution or continue down a path of divisive politics that risks alienating not just its minorities but also its allies. The world is watching, and history will not be kind to those who choose exclusion over unity.
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