India: The Modi Question

Narendra Modi is the leader of the world's largest democracy, a man who has been elected twice as India's prime minister and is widely seen as the most powerful politician of his generation. Seen by the west as an important bulwark against Chinese domination of Asia, he has been courted as a key ally by both the US and the UK.

Yet Narendra Modi's premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his government towards India's Muslim population. This series investigates the truth behind these allegations and examines Modi's backstory to explore other questions about his politics when it comes to India's largest religious minority.

This episode tracks Narendra Modi's first steps into politics, including and his association with the right-wing Hindu organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, his rise through the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and his appointment as chief minister of the state of Gujarat, where his response to a series of riots in 2002 remains a source of controversy.

The second episode examines the track record of Narendra Modi's government following his re-election in 2019. A series of controversial policies – the removal of Kashmir's special status under India's 1947 constitutional settlement and a citizenship law that many said treated Muslims unfairly – has been accompanied by reports of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindus.

Modi and his government reject any suggestion that their policies reflect any prejudice towards Muslims, but these policies have been repeatedly criticised by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International. That organisation has now closed its offices in Delhi following the freezing of its bank accounts in connection with an investigation into financial irregularities, according to the Indian government, a charge rejected by Amnesty.