Abstract
India has been successful in building a soft image of itself across the globe with the help of its soft power diplomacy. It is seen as a country of diverse cultures, languages and religions. This unfortunately is far from reality. Though, the constitution of India provides certain clauses that ensure equal treatment and opportunities and protection of basic human rights for all its citizens irrespective of their religion or caste. However, the religious minorities nevertheless have suffered worst forms of atrocities for decades. This suffering has witnessed a sharp increase since 2014 as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi assumed power. Inspired by the Hindutva ideology and a trained pracharak of RSS, Modi government is not leaving any stone unturned to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu state). This entire situation has emboldened rightwing Hindu extremists to unleash a reign of terror on the minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims who are witnessing social boycotts, destruction of holy places, desecration of holy books, hate speeches and worst – the lynching often with impunity. This paper investigates the condition of minorities particularly Muslims and Christians in India since 2014 when Modi formed his first government following the 16th Lok Sabha elections.
