The grand opening of Ram Mandir at the site of demolished Babri Masjid symbolizes Hindu cultural domination in a so-called secular India. The construction of Ram temple is the fallout of Indian Supreme court’s decision taken back in 2019 due to a longstanding Masjid-Mandir dispute. It has a background of bloody riots that erupted between Hindu-Muslim communities since a far-right Hindu mob demolished an archaeological mosque built in 16^th century during the reign of first Mughal Emperor, Zahir-ud-din Babar.  The judgement of India’s top court is considered controversial as it traded for a historic building and granted a compensatory land to Muslims to build its replacement. Few months right before general elections, PM Modi has inaugurated the incomplete temple thus, politicized the religious account to have another term of government. Since Modi’s gain of prominence in politics in 1990s till date, his ultimate goal on agenda throughout, has been seen, to have a consolidated Hindu India within meagre Muslims dwell without social equity and justice.

The final verdict of Indian Supreme Court given in 2019 on Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute is an attempt to marginalize major minority group of India, Muslims. The communal riots that swept across India in 1992 led to the killings of more than 2000 people out of which majority were Muslims. The dispute was taken to the hall of court and as a result of subsequent hearings; final verdict was given in favor of Hindu community by the Supreme Court in 2019. Consequently, a 15-member Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is set up to oversee the construction and management of the temple while a separate piece of land in Ayodhya is granted to Muslim groups as compensation. Moreover, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) have sparked outrage in Muslim community and other minority groups, realizing it a deliberate effort of Hindutva empowered BJP to sideline major minority group of India, depriving them off of their due socio-political rights and freedom, is the agenda of India set under Modi.

The India under Modi is dominated by Hindu nationalism. Hindu nationalism, often referred to as Hindutva, is a political ideology that seeks to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life. Devotees argue that it promotes a sense of cultural identity and national unity, while critics express concerns about the potential marginalization of religious and ethnic minorities, particularly Muslims. As far as Muslim-Modi relations are concerned, he can only use Muslims to consolidate his vote bank but cannot tolerate any of them in his cabinet. His core values, ideology and actions manifest that BJP has always been anti-Muslim and anti-minority approach (not to mention Gujrat riots under CM Modi). Approximately, 85% of the Muslim community comprises ‘Pasmanda Muslims’ (most oppressed and most marginalized). He is using 25000 plus Muslim influencers to manipulate people in BJP’s favor by mentioning social welfare policies of Modi to them as general elections are around the corner. Despite of Modi’s efforts to woo with the ‘Pasmanda’ Muslim community, and favoring Muslim women by reforming personal laws, his views against Muslims as a hard-core Hindu will neither change nor benefit the major minority group of India.

Modi is gearing for another term in government; the inauguration of incomplete temple is the fulfillment of what brought him into political landscape of India. The movement to build the temple helped propel BJP into political prominence in the 1990s. The inauguration of under construction temple just few months before the general elections symbolize nothing but politicization of the religion. To gain as much voters in his favor as he could, he invited many prominent figures to the opening ceremony including BJP veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi (among other leading faces to build Ram temple), celebrities, Congress leaders and their religious saints (shankaracharya). However, many of them outrightly refused to accept the invitation, claiming that this is certainly the politicization of the religious account and peril of secular India. To amass the vote bank, fulfilling the cultural and religious expectations of majority is the key. His actions are a blend of xenophobic personality backed by ethnocentrism and power-politics aspirations.

The fascist personality of Modi has enclosed contemporary India within a thick layer of religious extremism and Hindu supremacy with a sheer rejection of secular India. Congress party leaders rejected the invitation of inaugural ceremony and maintains that religion is an individual’s matter and not state affair. Playing Hindu nationalist politics for mere galvanizing support of one commune while neglecting the other major chunk of population will cause damage to social fabric of culturally diverse India, a violation of the cores of Indian constitution.

India is not secular anymore. What we are witnessing today is, an India standing against its own secular constitutional framework. Going absolutely against state’s bible could pave a milieu of chaos for BJP; stuffing Hindus with hatred towards Muslim community could possibly ignite once again major communal riots. Moreover, acting in despotism has converged the interests of Muslim community in India and secular leaders in opposition to BJP. Indeed, Indian reputation, economy, tech industry and diplomatic clout has grown at international fronts, while failed to gain support from a major chunk of domestic population at home.