The Modi Regime’s Push for Hindutva Extremism in Education: Undermining Secularism, Dividing Society, and Marginalizing Minorities in IIOJK

Salient Features:

Promotion of Hindutva in Schools: The Modi government is using education to spread Hindutva, imposing religious practices like “Vande Mataram” and marginalizing minorities.
Psychological Impact on Students: Teaching extremism harms children’s mental health, fostering division and aggression.
Violations of Secularism and Rights: The government’s actions violate India’s secular values and students’ constitutional rights.
Public Resistance and Global Action: Growing public opposition calls for international accountability for India’s promotion of religious extremism.
The recent incident in Doda, Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where a teacher led children in extremist chants, reveals the growing influence of Hindutva ideology under the Modi government. This event, involving the mandatory singing of a controversial song and chanting violent slogans, highlights the government’s push for narrow nationalism. By imposing divisive symbols in schools, the Modi government alienates minority communities, especially Muslims, and undermines India’s secular values. The public’s response indicates rising resistance to such policies.

Promotion of Extremism in Schools

The Doda incident shows how the Modi government uses the education system to spread Hindutva. Teachers are being used to promote extremist views, with the forced inclusion of “Vande Mataram” in schools as a clear example. This shift aims to replace India’s inclusive education system with one that promotes violence and religious exclusivity, further dividing communities in IIOJK.
♦ Teachers as Agents of Hindutva:
Teachers are increasingly being used to promote Hindutva, turning classrooms into spaces for political indoctrination.
♦ State-Mandated Symbols and Ideologies:
By making songs like “Vande Mataram” mandatory, the Modi government is pushing its religious agenda onto children, disregarding the region’s diversity.
♦ The Agenda Behind the Extremist Curriculum:
The government’s aim is to shape future generations in its image by embedding Hindutva teachings into the curriculum.

Psychological Impact on Students

Indoctrinating children into extremist ideologies harms their mental health, leading to emotional damage and fostering violence. These teachings create divisions, making it harder for children to accept differences. The psychological harm caused can result in a generation more likely to support intolerance and hatred.
♦ Mental Health Risks of Extremist Ideologies:
Children exposed to extremist views are at risk of anxiety, aggression, and alienation.
♦ Emotional Trauma and Division:
Such teachings cause emotional trauma, deepening divisions between communities and undermining social cohesion.
♦ The Need for Psychological Support:
It is essential that schools provide mental health support to help children affected by extremist ideologies recover.

Undermining Secular Ideals

The government’s push for Hindutva in schools undermines India’s secular values, promoting a single religious ideology over the country’s pluralistic identity. This shift threatens the nation’s education system and its social fabric, as forcing religious symbols in schools shows a disregard for equality and freedom.
♦ Erosion of Secularism in Education:
Imposing religious practices in schools is an attack on India’s secular education system, which should treat all religions equally.
♦ Violations of Constitutional Rights:
The forced participation in religious rituals violates students’ constitutional rights, especially those from minority communities.
♦ The Long-Term Consequences of Religious Indoctrination:
Religious indoctrination in schools will create a generation that rejects secularism, embracing division and intolerance.

Public Resistance and Protests

The Doda incident has sparked strong opposition, especially from the Muslim community, as well as political and religious groups. The forced imposition of Hindutva ideologies in schools has led to protests, highlighting dissatisfaction with the Modi government’s education policies. This resistance reflects the rejection of divisive government actions that attack religious and cultural identities in IIOJK.
♦ Outrage from Religious and Political Groups:
Religious and political groups are demanding the removal of policies forcing religious ideologies into schools.
♦ Public Protests Against Hindutva Education:
Protests across IIOJK reflect strong resistance to Hindutva policies that threaten religious and cultural identity.
♦ Government’s Attempt to Quell Dissent:
The suspension of the teacher involved in the incident was an attempt to calm public anger, but the deeper issue of Hindutva’s role in schools remains unaddressed.

The Role of the Modi Government in Promoting Extremism

The Modi government has made Hindutva central to its political agenda, using public institutions, including schools, to promote this ideology. By mandating religious songs and promoting extremist teachings, the government is reshaping India’s future generations to align with Hindu nationalist ideals, increasing tensions and alienating minority communities in IIOJK.
♦ State-Sponsored Hindutva Agenda:
The government is using state institutions like schools in IIOJK to push its Hindutva agenda, replacing secular values with religious nationalism.
♦ Hindutva’s Rising Influence in Public Life:
Hindutva has become a central force in shaping India’s future, displacing democratic and secular principles.
♦ Impact of Hindutva on India’s Social Harmony:
Hindutva promotes intolerance and division, threatening India’s social harmony, especially in IIOJK.
The International Response
The international community has been largely silent on the Modi government’s promotion of Hindutva, allowing the government to continue its divisive policies unchecked. This lack of action emboldens the government, worsening the situation for minorities in IIOJK and further isolating them.
♦ Silence from the International Community:
The failure of the international community to act allows the Modi government to continue pushing Hindutva policies, further marginalizing minorities.
♦ Diplomatic Isolation of India:
India’s embrace of Hindutva is leading to growing isolation, with other countries questioning its commitment to democracy and human rights, especially in IIOJK.
♦ Need for Global Accountability:
The international community must hold India accountable for its promotion of Hindutva and its harmful impact on religious minorities, particularly in IIOJK.

Conclusion

The Doda incident in IIOJK is a clear example of the Modi government’s efforts to embed Hindutva in India’s education system, undermining the country’s secular values. These policies threaten to divide the nation along religious lines, but growing public resistance shows that many reject the government’s divisive agenda. India’s future depends on returning to its pluralistic ideals, and only by challenging the rise of Hindutva can the nation preserve its diverse and inclusive identity.