Narendra Modi and the Police in India
Résumé
In India, Narendra Modi instrumentalized the police to achieve political goals. When he was at the helm of the Gujarat government (2001–2014), the police were used for polarizing the state along religious lines by cultivating fear among the Hindu majority, as evident from the 2002–2006 series of fake encounters – which helped Modi to present himself as a victim, a mainstay of the populist repertoire. After becoming Prime Minister (2014–present), the control of the police became one of Modi’s priorities – hence the appointment of Gujarat police cadre in key positions at the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency. In Delhi, a state whose police forces report to the Central government, the police took part in the 2020 communal riots, not only letting Hindu vigilantes attack Muslims but by helping them too. From Gujarat to Delhi, Modi relied on Amit Shah, his right-hand man for controlling the police.
