In spite of huge economic inequalities and cultural discrimination, the identification of the common enemy through cultural nationalism has kept the momentum going for the present regime.
The first one is acute hatred against cultural minorities. According to the India Hate Lab, around 668 hate speeches targeting Muslims were recorded in 2023. Around 75 per cent of them were in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, Union Territories administered by the Union Government and Delhi, where the police is under the control of the Union Government. A 2024 report by Human Rights Watch highlights the policies and practices that discriminate against minorities. These actions are with a clear intention to deviate from material reality and create polarisation. The second one is eliciting obedience and discipline without any rationality. This is in order to elicit loyalty and reduce the scope for any critical engagement in questioning the government.