New Delhi, India – As India’s Muslim population continues to rise, concerns over their underrepresentation in legislative bodies have come to light. Despite the fact that Muslims now make up 14% of India’s population, their presence in Parliament has significantly decreased over the years. In the mid-1980s, they accounted for 11% of the population and held 9% of seats in Parliament, but currently, they have less than 5% representation.
When Prime Minister Modi took office in 2014, there were only 30 Muslim lawmakers in the outgoing Parliament, with just one belonging to the ruling BJP party. Prior to the recent general elections, Muslims held only 25 out of 543 seats in Parliament, none of which were aligned with the ruling party. This disparity in representation is also reflected at the state level, where Muslim lawmakers hold around 6% of seats in state legislatures, with no Muslim chief ministers leading any states.
Experts suggest that opposition parties in India have been hesitant to nominate Muslim candidates in fear of alienating Hindu voters, who often show strong support for the BJP. While Hindus tend to unite behind the ruling party, Muslims have struggled to present a unified political front due to the diversity within the community in terms of sects, ethnicity, language, customs, and culture.
The lack of proportional representation of Muslims in India’s government raises concerns about the inclusivity and diversity of the country’s political landscape. The diminishing presence of Muslims in Parliament and state legislatures highlights the need for greater efforts to ensure that all communities have a voice in shaping the nation’s policies and decisions. This issue underscores the importance of promoting inclusivity and representation of all minorities in India’s democratic processes.
Efforts to address this issue may require both political parties and civil society organizations to work towards creating more opportunities for minorities, including Muslims, to participate actively in the political arena. In doing so, India can move closer towards achieving a more equitable and representative political system that reflects the diversity of its population.