Tania Wafa
MODI’S 75 years of achievements are now the subject of critical scrutiny.
A BBC documentary, India: The Modi Question, revisited his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, when more than 1,000 people—mostly Muslims—were killed. A UK government report described the violence as having “all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing,” alleging that Modi allowed police inaction and encouraged extremists. Though India’s Supreme Court cleared him of responsibility, the controversy continues to shape his political legacy. From the Gujarat riots till date, the game of religious division persists. Since Modi took office in 2014, attacks against Muslims have escalated, with critics accusing the ruling BJP of deepening communal divides as part of its political strategy.
On August 5, 2019, India unilaterally abrogated Articles 370 and 35-A of its Constitution, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. Article 370 had granted the region its own constitution, flag and autonomy over internal matters, while Article 35-A safeguarded Kashmir’s demographic identity by preventing outsiders from purchasing property there. The revocation not only undermined Kashmir’s sovereignty but also triggered widespread human rights violations, economic marginalization and social suppression. The abrogation of Article 370 revealed the true face of Kashmir to the world. As a result of Modi’s policies, Kashmiris are convinced that the right to self-determination is the only viable solution. India’s so-called largest democracy has been stained in the global media—yet another “achievement” credited to Modi.
The Two-Nation Theory, once the slogan of Pakistan, has now become India’s daily reality. What was originally framed as an ideological justification for partition in 1947 is today visible in an India where politics thrives on religious polarization. Minorities—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits—are increasingly made to feel like second-class citizens under a system that prioritizes majoritarian identity over pluralism. Pakistan’s concerns, once dismissed as rhetoric, now appear in the headlines of Western newspapers as global media highlight the growing marginalization of minorities and the erosion of secular values in India.
Modi’s anti-Pakistan strategy has backfired on India itself. What was meant to showcase strength turned into an embarrassing spectacle. The Balakot adventure ended not with Indian triumph but with Pakistani tea and global praise, as the captured Indian pilot became a symbol of Pakistan’s composure and diplomacy. Modi’s own words—“If only we had Rafale, this would not have happened”—sounded less like confidence and more like an admission of failure, exposing the hollowness of his much-hyped military bravado.
Under Modi’s leadership, the region is unstable, marked by constant tensions along India’s borders with Pakistan and China. Despite attempts to project stability, his Hindu-centric rule has deepened communal divides at home and heightened suspicion abroad. Modi’s 75 candles flicker and fade, as whispers of retirement grow louder in India. His third term, though secured, is weakened by a reduced parliamentary majority and dependence on smaller allies. The once-unshakable image of dominance now carries cracks that are impossible to ignore.
After Operation Sandur turned into a furnace, retirement remains the only option to avoid further disgrace. Failed military gambits and international embarrassments have tainted the narrative of a “New India,” leaving critics to question his political longevity. The firm foundation of Modi Ji’s rule has instead turned his 75th birthday into a dreadful nightmare—overshadowed by economic strains, foreign policy setbacks, and rising domestic discontent. What was once celebrated as an era of strong leadership now risks being remembered as a legacy of instability and decline.
—The writer is a freelance columnist.
