The video from Manipur shook the nation and drew unanimous condemnation. The fact that a mob could do this in broad daylight in 2023 is deeply unsettling. Whatever be the differences between the local communities, such actions cannot be justified. A strong set of actions needs to (and probably is being taken) to stop the violence and depravity taking place in the state.
However, the united censure against this incident brought out something else about Indian society and politics: that Indians have limits to the majoritarian superiority they want. Bigotry, while rampant, has its boundaries for most Indians.
Yes, a small section of hardline Indians want to expel every minority or community from India. However, this is not most Indians. Many Indians in the majority community feel a form of soft bigotry. They want to feel a little superior and keep the minorities in check, that’s all. They do not want a genocide, another Manipur type video, or cause actual harm to the minorities. They want to feel superior, but simultaneously still care for the minorities. Confusing? It is. That’s what makes India complex and fascinating.
The best way to understand how soft Indian bigotry works is with the help of an archetype example: the WhatsApp Uncle. Imagine a Hindu uncle, in his fifties or sixties. He goes to the park every evening to meet his friends. They discuss health, spirituality, religion, and politics. Uncle is also on multiple WhatsApp groups on his phone, where they wish each other on festivals, share religious and spiritual quotes, and forward various current affairs related videos.
The WhatsApp Uncle has had a dreary life. He has worked in a mundane government or private job. He never reached the top levels but provided for his family and fulfilled his obligations. Life went smooth but was never exciting. He now feels old, tired and jaded, has an ailment or two (diabetes, hypertension). His children don’t listen to him, wanting to live their own life. The only thing that he loves, makes him feel alive and keeps him going is his faith and his park/ Whatsapp pals.
Uncle and his friends discuss how ancient Indian breathing practices or ayurvedic remedies can fix things even modern medicine cannot. They move on to discussing Hindu religion, which is more a lifestyle with so many benefits if followed properly. They also lament people don’t follow it properly these days.
Uncle’s mindset changes. He looks for evidence (and forwards it on Whatsapp) of where Hindus got it right in the past. He ignores when Hindus didn’t get it right, like being unable to come together when they were colonized, missing the renaissance and industrial revolution, and the caste system.
Uncle wonders why India is not governed keeping this Hindu sentiment in mind, especially when Hindus are eighty percent or more of the population. This then leads to a desire for Hindus to be treated as first amongst equals. After all, it is historically their land and they had it all figured out better anyway. The minorities, Muslims in particular, should accept Hindus are first amongst equals. The minorities should live here peacefully but just keep their heads just a teeny bit low and let the Hindus decide what is the best way to be.
This slight Hindu entitlement is a real sentiment. This was ignored for decades, but was felt by millions. The current government mastered the art of tapping to it and gave it formal credence. They won handsomely for it, with two back-to-back record victories in Lok Sabha elections. Democracy, after all, is about catering to the will of the people, and this is what the uncle (and millions of others wanted).
However, sometimes it all gets ‘too much,’ like it did in the Manipur video, where a majority community mob is attacking minority community women. Uncle and his friends hated and condemned the video. To them too, this was not a civilized society.
This shows there are limits to how much bigotry exists in Hindu Indians, most of which is of the soft kind. Soft bigoted Hindu uncles only want to feel themselves and their ways of life as slightly superior. They possibly want to keep Muslims in check. However, they don’t want the average Indian Muslim (or any minority) to suffer. They do not want this karma of atrocities on the minorities.
When something really bad happens, like it did in the Manipur video, the uncle feels a deep dissonance. He just wanted to give the country a good Hindu way to live (which according to him is the best way). He did not want to take the karma of violence or see bloodshed. That, according to uncle, is when it gets “too much”. Suddenly, uncle will make statements like ‘but we have no problems with Muslims’ or ‘India is full of different cultures, so what?’. Uncle now wants to wash his hands of the guilt that comes with actual minority atrocities. Insults and jibes are one thing, violence and barbarism is another.
It is here when something shifts, and uncle may do something unthinkable – switch his political support. He just wanted to support the good Hindu way of life, not be part of a mob or seen as supporting the mob.
This may have repercussions for the BJP. Even if a few percentage votes are lost in the majority-minority stuff being seen as ‘too much’ or ‘thoda zyada ho raha hai,’ it could have a bearing on results or seats. Manipur had some negative impact, but will remain limited because the people in Indian heartland do not connect to Manipur as much. It is however an important reminder – stick to soft Hindutva only, and well within limits. It may be tempting to cater to the hardliner base, but it is this huge soft-hindutva support that makes the BJP win election after election.
Polarizing politics carries that risk of being a slippery slope. Like chilis, a little bit of it is ok and can add zing to your dish. However, if the chilies get too much the customers are gasping and running out of your restaurant. Balance and understanding the psyche of the average Hindu supporter is key. Manipur should never have been allowed to escalate like it did. Other parts of the country should never come close to this situation. The Manipur incident is tragic, but hopefully it is a wake up call. It is a lesson for the central and all the state governments, and also for us Indians. It doesn’t take long for a soft, seemingly harmless bigotry to turn into something reprehensible. And that’s neither good for the nation, nor does it help politically. Keep bigotry in check, or best, avoid it.