Ascendance of populist radical right politics in India and Islamophobia: a politico-legal analysis of the Bharatiya Janata Party

In the discourse surrounding Populist Radical Right Parties (PRRPs), the examination of anti-minority rhetoric, particularly Islamophobia, emerges as a pivotal focus. This article underscores the global pervasiveness of Islamophobia, extending beyond Western contexts and impacting societies worldwide with Muslim populations. Despite its prominence, the literature on populist parties has primarily overlooked the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which is currently in power in India. Using the ideational approach to analyse populism, this article investigates whether the BJP’s ideology and practices align with the three defining characteristics of right-wing populism, namely, its conceptualisations of the people, elites, and others. The analysis is grounded in the BJP’s use of ‘identity politics’ during electoral campaigns and its repercussions in promoting anti-minority rhetoric within state policy. The findings reveal that the radicalisation of Hindu populism since 2014 has resulted in changes to national legislation and a diminished adherence to international legal commitments, particularly in the realms of discrimination and human rights. These shifts have had discernible effects on India’s domestic legal system and its obligations under international law. The exploration of BJP’s policies and legal developments since 2014 contributes significantly to a nuanced understanding of right-wing populism, offering insights into the complexities of identity politics and Islamophobia within the Indian political landscape and as part of a broader global phenomenon.