Indian Politics and Political Polarization

Author: Dr. Sk Maidul Islam

DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/10.2024-57965949/BIJMRD/Vol -2 / 8/2024/A10

Abstract: In this article, we will look at how majority identity politics and political division have affected India. The dominance of the majority in Indian politics allowed for the marginalization of minority groups and their subsequent formation of exclusive clubs, both of which contributed to the widening gap between the political classes. The politics of majority identification and the political polarization of important groups and castes define modern Indian politics. A Hindu nationalist party, the BJP is on the political right. In contrast, the secular Congress Party is better suited to represent the needs of the country’s small Muslim minority. Thanks to their distinct ideological stances, the two parties have successfully garnered support from diverse segments of society. This has led to severe religious and caste divisions in Indian culture. This study looks at how political polarization has affected Indian society and how majority identity politics have played a part in this development within the Indian setting. According to the article, two rival nationalist ideologies have emerged in India as a result of the success of the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The secular beliefs of the Congress Party are at odds with the Hindu nationalist tenets of the BJP. As a result of this division, majority identity politics has gained traction in India. The ramifications of this ascent for democracy in India are discussed in the paper’s conclusion. Polarization is sometimes referred to as “a prominent division or conflict that forms between major groups in a society or political system and that is marked by the clustering and radicalisation of views and beliefs at two distant and antagonistic poles.” There are two common categories of political polarization, according to political scientists: elite and mass. While “elite polarization” refers to divisions among the political class, “mass polarization” describes divisions within the electorate or the general people.

Keywords: Congress party, Polarization, Political Sciencest, Identity Politics. Majority Identity Politics, Indian Democracy.

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