BJP’s rising fascism, Amit Shah’s politics of criminalizing opposition
New Delhi: Political analysts and experts in India have said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pursuing an extremely dangerous brand of politics which not only strikes at the very heart of democracy but also poses a serious threat to the survival of the country itself.
According to Kashmir Media Service, analysts expressed deep concern over Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s attempt to malign the opposition’s vice-presidential candidate, Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, by labeling him as a supporter of Naxalites. They observed that this attitude reflects the BJP’s broader narrative in which dissent is criminalized and constitutional judgments are portrayed as acts of treason.
They pointed out that Shah’s remarks are clear evidence of the BJP’s strategy to defame Justice Reddy by linking him to terrorism and Naxalism in order to silence dissenting voices. They said such statements amount to a direct assault on judicial independence and democratic pluralism.
Justice Reddy, along with Justice S.S. Nijjar, had delivered the landmark 2011 judgment declaring the Salwa Judum militia unconstitutional. The militia had armed tribal youth by designating them as special police officers, a practice that severely undermined human rights. That decision was hailed as a victory for human dignity and the protection of vulnerable tribal communities. However, portraying the same ruling today as support for Naxalism is nothing but a distortion of truth.
Prominent Indian jurists including Justice J. Chelameswar, Justice Madan B. Lokur, and legal expert Sanjay Hegde have rejected Amit Shah’s remarks, warning that they pose a direct threat to judicial independence. They emphasized that Shah’s statement is not merely an electoral slogan but an open attack on the very existence of democracy in India.
Analysts warned that if a judge who defended constitutional principles can be branded a traitor, then the future of Kashmiris, tribal populations, and pro-freedom voices becomes even more uncertain. Such toxic rhetoric, they said, crushes dissent, strengthens majoritarian fascism, and erodes the foundations of democracy.
They maintained that the BJP’s governance model is rooted in fear and hatred, where facts are twisted to vilify political opponents and constitutional oversight is dismissed as conspiracy. This dangerous narrative undermines the credibility of institutions.
However, analysts stressed that the resistance and stance taken by former judges and legal experts offer a ray of hope for democracy. They underscored that political criticism must remain dignified and fact-based. Suppressing opposition by distorting judicial verdicts, they warned, strips democracy of its very foundation. Judicial independence, minority rights, and a strong opposition are not merely abstract ideals but essential conditions for democratic survival. Without them, India is sliding into authoritarianism where justice is buried, fear prevails, and the dream of freedom is brutally crushed.
