Modi-fied reality, license for hate by Avani Devi

There’s a glaring truth staring the world in the face, and yet the West remains disturbingly silent. It’s not just uncomfortable, it’s downright dangerous. The man currently lauded as India’s strongman, Narendra Modi, has built his political empire on the foundations of nationalism and, more disturbingly, Islamophobia. While Western leaders flock to shake his hand and sign lucrative deals, they conveniently ignore the bloodstains that trail behind him.

Narendra Damodardas Modi, the man who rose from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of Indian politics, only to leave behind a trail of communal violence and systematic discrimination. His supporters tout his rise as a triumph of the common man. But there’s a dark side, an uncomfortable truth whispered behind closed doors and drowned out by the triumphant chants of nationalism.

It’s not just about his past, though the 2002 Gujarat riots, where over a thousand people, mostly Muslims, were brutally massacred under his watch as Chief Minister, should be more than just a footnote. It’s about his present and the systematic marginalization of India’s Muslim minority under his rule. Anti-Muslim rhetoric has been mainstreamed, normalized, and weaponized by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). From the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that deliberately discriminates against Muslim refugees to the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir, the intent is crystal clear: consolidate Hindu nationalism while othering India’s 200 million Muslims.

But why the silence from the so-called champions of democracy and human rights in the West? Maybe it’s because Modi represents something they desperately want, a profitable market, a strategic ally against China, and a shining beacon of neoliberal success. Never mind the uncomfortable reality that human rights violations are part of the deal.

Islamophobia is not an incidental byproduct of Modi’s politics, it’s the core of his power. Take the bulldozer politics that have seen Muslim homes demolished without due process, or the rise of mob lynchings under the guise of cow protection. This isn’t law and order, it’s state-sponsored terror. It’s telling that when journalists question Modi on these issues, he either evades or smirks, knowing that his carefully curated image as a global leader will shield him from accountability.

The West needs to wake up from its selective amnesia. When a leader systematically dehumanizes an entire community, encourages vigilantism, and manipulates legal frameworks to solidify majoritarian rule, the international community has a moral duty to speak out. If that leader were from a less economically advantageous nation, there would be sanctions, condemnations, and perhaps even trials at The Hague. But here we are, witnessing silence as crimes go unpunished.

This is not just about India it’s about the precedent being set when powerful leaders use nationalism as a smokescreen for hate. It’s about how democracy itself is being reshaped, not by the will of the people, but by fear, prejudice, and state-sponsored persecution. Modi’s India is not an isolated case but a symptom of a global disease where nationalism trumps human rights and silence becomes complicity.

If the International Court of Justice (ICJ) truly believes in justice without borders, it’s time to investigate. Crimes against humanity do not lose their weight just because they’re politically inconvenient to address. While the world watches and the West remains silent, India’s Muslims continue to live in fear, a fear that is not of terrorists or foreign invaders but of their own government.

It’s time for accountability, for voices to rise above economic interests and political strategies. The world has a choice either continue to embrace Modi as the success story of the common man or acknowledge the sinister reality behind the spectacle. History will remember which path we chose.