“Valgdagen i India – NRK Urix Utenriksnyheter og Dokumentarer”

• Vinod Gupta, a loyal supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, has cast his vote in the world’s largest election in India.
• The election took place in Varanasi, Modi’s constituency and the holiest city for Hindus in India.
• Projections suggest that Modi’s BJP party is expected to win for the third time, with voters in Varanasi showing strong support for Modi.
• Modi’s popularity is attributed to his handling of the economy despite rising prices, according to supporters like Kakuli Devi and Anju Chaurasia.
• Hindutva, the political ideology of the BJP, promotes Hindu nationalism and the association of Hinduism with Indian identity, advocating for the construction of Hindu temples in place of mosques.
• While Modi and the BJP have support from Hindu voters, Muslim voters tend to lean towards the opposition Congress party due to concerns about religious tensions and economic issues.
• The opposition faces challenges with internal divisions and a lack of a strong leader, while Modi aims to secure a majority in the national parliament.
• BJP supporters like Gulshan Kapoor in Varanasi campaign vigorously for Modi, praising his religious and economic leadership, while critics warn of increasing divisions and religious tensions in India.

Read Full Article