Published in The Times of India A mistake of the liberals in these elections is that they have framed the public discourse primarily around secularism. While pertinent given Modi’s antecedents, it is self-limiting: it speaks to Minority interest in a framework where numbers matter and preaches to the converted in the Majority community. In contrast, Modi invokes people’s personal aspirations when he thunders about stalling growth. Ignored in this discourse is the social conservatism agenda of the “cultural” organizations and political parties associated with the BJP. This is significant because their values are antithetical to the freedom aspired by much of India’s population, 65% of which is less than 35 years of age.
More Than Secularism
More Than Secularism
More Than Secularism
Published in The Times of India A mistake of the liberals in these elections is that they have framed the public discourse primarily around secularism. While pertinent given Modi’s antecedents, it is self-limiting: it speaks to Minority interest in a framework where numbers matter and preaches to the converted in the Majority community. In contrast, Modi invokes people’s personal aspirations when he thunders about stalling growth. Ignored in this discourse is the social conservatism agenda of the “cultural” organizations and political parties associated with the BJP. This is significant because their values are antithetical to the freedom aspired by much of India’s population, 65% of which is less than 35 years of age.