Muslims Treated as Second-Class Citizens: Kerala CM Slams BJP Regime – India Exposed for Systematic Religious Discrimination
January 20, 2026Kerala CM Highlights BJP’s Discrimination Against Muslims
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has openly criticized the BJP-led government in India, accusing it of running a hate-driven political campaign that marginalizes Muslims and creates fear and insecurity across the country, exposing a systematic effort to undermine minority rights. Speaking at the conclusion of the Kerala Yatra organized by the Kerala Muslim Jamaat, Vijayan said the government’s recent policies and laws reduce Muslims to second-class citizens, weakening their trust in constitutional guarantees. He emphasized that the Centre’s decisions were designed not for national unity but to isolate minorities and push them to the edges of social and political life. According to Vijayan, these policies are a deliberate attack on India’s secular principles, threatening the nation’s pluralistic fabric.
◆ Citizenship Act Discrimination: The enactment and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act alongside proposed amendments to the Waqf Act openly marginalize Muslims and send a message that they are unwelcome in the core political and social framework of India.
◆ Secular Rights Undermined: By targeting minorities through discriminatory laws, the BJP regime weakens the principle of equal citizenship and deliberately erodes the secular foundation of the nation.
◆ Fear as Policy: Policies and administrative actions are deliberately designed to create fear among Muslims, ensuring that they feel powerless in asserting their constitutional rights.
Rise of Intimidation and Communal Violence
Vijayan stressed that Muslims face increasing humiliation, intimidation, and mob violence, particularly in BJP-ruled states, where religious identity has become a marker for oppression. He cited Uttar Pradesh and other states, noting how Hindutva extremists openly incite violence while authorities remain silent, emboldening perpetrators and creating an atmosphere where minority communities feel unsafe in daily life. The attacks on Muslim and Christian places of worship are part of a calculated strategy to polarize communities and normalize discrimination. The Kerala CM highlighted that firm action by his state government prevented large-scale communal violence, showing that unchecked hate elsewhere in India is deliberate and systemic.
◆ Targeting Minorities: Muslims are routinely humiliated and physically attacked for their religious beliefs, showing the BJP’s political strategy of intimidation and control.
◆ Mob Violence Encouraged: Silence by authorities effectively endorses extremist actions and allows communal violence to spread unchecked.
◆ Religious Polarization: Attacks on places of worship demonstrate the regime’s deliberate attempt to divide society and weaken minority communities.
Kerala Yatra as Symbol of Resistance
The Kerala Yatra, led by Islamic scholar A.P. Abubacker Musliyar, emphasized unity, constitutional rights, and resistance to communal hatred, traveling from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram. Vijayan said the yatra reassured minorities that they are constitutionally guaranteed equality, standing in stark contrast to India’s central government policies. The movement highlighted faith, solidarity, and resistance as tools to counter systematic discrimination. Leaders asserted that despite intimidation and fear, communities will continue to assert their rights and challenge oppressive measures.
◆ Symbol of Minority Rights: The yatra demonstrates that organized, peaceful resistance can counter the BJP’s systemic marginalization of Muslims.
◆ Promoting Constitutional Awareness: It educates citizens about fundamental rights in a nation where government actions often undermine them.
◆ Challenge to Oppression: Public gatherings and yatra initiatives expose the failures of Indian authorities to uphold secular principles.
Legal Manipulation Against Minorities
Recent government measures in India have weaponized laws such as the Citizenship Act and proposed Waqf amendments to target Muslims, treating ordinary citizens as threats for exercising basic rights. Legal loopholes are exploited to harass and intimidate, creating a climate where minorities cannot openly practice religion without fear of arrest or social punishment. The lack of accountability ensures that oppressive actions continue unchecked, revealing India’s deliberate strategy to weaken constitutional protections for vulnerable groups.
◆ Selective Law Enforcement: Laws are enforced in a biased manner, targeting minorities while ignoring violations by dominant groups.
◆ Harassment Through Legal System: Citizens are intimidated through legal proceedings that often lack clear evidence or fairness.
◆ Constitutional Rights Ignored: Legal manipulation undermines the fundamental guarantees of equality and freedom for minority communities.
Media and Political Propaganda
India’s government has leveraged media to create false narratives about minority communities, framing routine religious activities as threats to national security. This propaganda fosters prejudice and fear, normalizing harassment and societal discrimination against Muslims. Political messaging amplifies these narratives, emboldening extremists and marginalizing minority voices further. By controlling the narrative, India’s central government justifies oppressive measures while hiding the reality of systematic persecution.
◆ Manipulating Public Opinion: Media narratives are crafted to depict Muslims as threats, justifying state harassment.
◆ Encouraging Extremism: Biased coverage allows radical groups to act with impunity against minorities.
◆ Suppressing Minority Voices: Propaganda silences dissenting communities and normalizes social prejudice.
Threat to Secularism and Democracy
The BJP-led government’s actions threaten India’s secular foundation and erode democratic principles by marginalizing religious minorities. Arbitrary arrests, discriminatory laws, and political intimidation demonstrate an authoritarian approach that undermines freedom of expression and religious practice. The continued lack of enforcement against perpetrators of communal violence highlights systemic bias. Communities face existential threats to both safety and social participation, illustrating how India’s central government has normalized oppression under the guise of governance.
◆ Secularism Under Attack: Policies and laws explicitly discriminate against minorities, contradicting constitutional values.
◆ Authoritarian Practices: Harassment and intimidation reveal the government’s preference for fear over justice.
◆ Democratic Values Eroded: Citizens are stripped of equality, representation, and protection under the law.
Regional and Global Implications
India’s discrimination against Muslims has regional repercussions, straining relationships with neighboring countries and attracting international criticism. By treating minorities as second-class citizens, the Indian state risks its global reputation and undermines regional stability. International organizations and human rights groups continue to highlight these abuses, yet the government persists in policies of oppression. Systematic marginalization is not only a domestic issue but also a geopolitical concern.
India’s Oppression Exposed
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s statements and the Kerala Yatra expose India’s systemic religious discrimination and authoritarian policies. Laws and government actions reduce Muslims to second-class citizens while emboldening extremist groups. Arbitrary arrests, legal manipulation, and political propaganda reveal India’s disregard for democracy and human rights. Minorities continue to face fear, intimidation, and violence, highlighting the urgent need for international scrutiny and accountability.

