The Rise of the Far-Right and the “Politics of Memory” in India Under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
The Rise of the Far-Right and the “Politics of Memory” in India Under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to establish the correlation between far-right political ideology and the politics of memory to study the rise of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in India and the increasing attempts to reimagine memory. The course of Indian politics took a turn after the rise of the right-wing party in the Indian government in 2014. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, adopted many policies that marginalise or exploit the non-Hindu population in India. It is evident that communal politics have gained momentum under Modi’s prime ministership, as the government overlooks many atrocities caused by Hindu individuals or organisations against Muslims. Similarly, the Modi government and BJP-led state governments are involved in the reimagining of memory. From a broader perspective, politicians frequently use mythologised understandings of the past to mobilise memory as a political tool in the present. Having said that, this article aims to study the attempt to distort history through the lens of “politics of memory”.

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