1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:06,240 This programme contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting. 2 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:45,680 My name is Alishan Jafri. 3 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,520 I am a journalist reporting on hate crimes 4 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,360 and the rise of extreme politics. 5 00:00:54,800 --> 00:01:00,520 India is a state where calls for genocide against Muslims 6 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:01,720 are on the rise. 7 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,160 There is a very direct call to violence 8 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,040 to make India a Hindu nation. 9 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,880 The Prime Minister of this country should have spoken against it. 10 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:39,720 But he does not speak up. 11 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,040 CROWD CHANTS: Modi! Modi! Modi! 12 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,120 REPORTER: The man of the moment. 13 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:55,560 Prime Minister of India. 14 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,360 He is the leader of the world's biggest democracy. 15 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,760 Narendra Damodardas Modi. 16 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:09,400 He came to power promising a new age of prosperity. 17 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,920 CHEERING 18 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,480 But his rule has been marred by religious turmoil. 19 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:21,720 REPORTER: There have been violent protests 20 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,680 in opposition to a new citizenship law, 21 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,200 which many see as discriminating 22 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,080 against the nation's Muslim minority. 23 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,240 REPORTER: Many in India see this law as anti-Muslim. 24 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:31,800 REPORTER: Massive pelting. 25 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,640 Massive pelting as of now is going on. 26 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,680 This series tells the story of Narendra Modi's 27 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,680 troubled relationship with India's Muslims. 28 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,480 As a young child, Mr Modi joined an organisation which believes 29 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,600 that this is a country of the Hindus. 30 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,360 Could he have done more to prevent violence 31 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,560 that killed hundreds of Muslims? 32 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,840 We were hearing that those orders to let all this happen 33 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,480 were coming from the top. 34 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,400 It is obviously a stain on his reputation. 35 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,360 There's no way out of that. 36 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,280 I'm not agree with your analysis. 37 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,080 I'm not agree with your information. 38 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,040 From where you have picked up this type of garbage, I do not know. 39 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,360 He was cleared of criminal conspiracy, 40 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,640 a finding upheld by India's highest court. 41 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:29,200 Agenda was to destroy Narendra Modi politically. 42 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,320 The agenda was explicitly political. 43 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,480 But concerns will not go away. 44 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,360 Questions remained over Mr Modi's head for a long time, 45 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,880 and they remain over him now. 46 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,960 Narendra Modi has promised to build a new India. 47 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,920 But what does that mean for the millions of people who belong 48 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:49,840 to its largest minority? 49 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,480 This regime wants to disenfranchise the Muslims 50 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,800 and make India a Hindu nation. 51 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,160 HORNS HONK, THEY SHOUT 52 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:45,840 Mariam's husband, Alimuddin, was a Muslim. 53 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:47,960 His attackers were Hindu. 54 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,880 Prior to Modi coming to power, 55 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,360 there is intercommunal violence in India. 56 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:39,280 Sometimes this involves lynchings of Muslims, of Hindus, of Sikhs. 57 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:40,720 But definitely we can say 58 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:42,960 that after 2014 there are increased 59 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,200 numbers of lynchings towards the Muslim population. 60 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,400 Alimuddin's attackers accused him of trading beef, 61 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,800 something that had been becoming increasingly controversial 62 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,960 under Narendra Modi's rule. 63 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,200 Hindus consider cows to be sacred. 64 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,120 REPORTER: Two Muslim women were beaten, allegedly by the members 65 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,520 of a Hindu radical group. 66 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,400 REPORTER: Now, this happened when the police 67 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,400 received a tip-off that two women 68 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,160 on a local train were bringing beef to sell... 69 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,800 A large mob dragged 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq Saifi 70 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:16,120 out of his home, 71 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,560 killing him in front of his family with the equipment he uses for... 72 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,280 And it began with a speech that the Prime Minister made. 73 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,160 Mr Modi said that India was participating in what he called 74 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:43,480 the Pink Revolution. 75 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,080 The Pink Revolution refers to the export of beef 76 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,600 and the sort of bloody images of meat. 77 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:54,800 In response to that, the BJP states criminalised the possession of beef. 78 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,600 After that, the violence began. 79 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,000 Over three and a half years, 80 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:09,400 vigilantes would kill 44 people and injure around 280 81 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,120 in cow-related violence. 82 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,800 Most victims were Muslim. 83 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,440 Few of the attackers were brought to justice. 84 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,440 There were calls for Mr Modi to condemn the violence, 85 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,320 but he was largely silent. 86 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,840 His silence is heard by the people as appreciation. 87 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,360 It is a clear signal that - go ahead, 88 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,360 nothing will be done against you. 89 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,200 Amid mounting criticism, 90 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,120 on the day of Alimuddin's murder, Mr Modi spoke out. 91 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,720 Then there was a surprising development. 92 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,560 REPORTER: Three days after Alimuddin Ansari was killed by cow vigilantes, 93 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:10,720 the first political arrest in the case, Nityanand Mahato, 94 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,000 the BJP's district spokesman. 95 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:17,120 Police say a video of the incident shows Mahato dragged Ansari 96 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,800 out of the van. 97 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:24,200 BJP spokesman Nityanand Mahato was found guilty of Alimuddin's murder 98 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,240 and sentenced to life in prison. 99 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,840 But one of Mr Modi's government ministers helped him 100 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,360 and the other convicted men with their legal fees. 101 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:36,920 And when they were bailed, 102 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,760 he welcomed them with garlands of flowers. 103 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:42,600 REPORTER: Jayant Sinha remains brazen, 104 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:44,400 despite outrage over his move 105 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:49,080 to welcome and garland the eight convicts of the 2017 lynching. 106 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,280 So is there tacit support by the state for actions like these? 107 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,720 Mr Sinha said he assisted the men because they were poor. 108 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,160 He criticised the way photos of him with them had been misused, 109 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:05,520 but said he would not do it again. 110 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:19,480 Over four years later, the men are still free. 111 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,200 The clear message is that this is a Hindu majoritarian country 112 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,320 and anybody who does anything or takes any action 113 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:30,440 which is against the sentiment of the Hindus of India 114 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,200 are going to be targeted. 115 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,280 If there is evidence that certain people 116 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,440 have been guilty of things like lynching, 117 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,880 it is not the business of a political party 118 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,480 to condone them or felicitate them. 119 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:51,560 At the same time, to generalise from this incident 120 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:54,520 to mean that this is the standard practice in India, 121 00:10:54,520 --> 00:11:00,680 this is the character of the BJP, is, to my mind, 122 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:02,560 an unwarranted assumption. 123 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:08,440 If you look back at it now, 124 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,360 the lynchings are the beginnings 125 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,160 of things that became bigger and bigger. 126 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,000 They are so disturbing and horrifying. 127 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,200 They were the early warning system of what was coming. 128 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,400 CROWD CHANTS: Modi! Modi! Modi! 129 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,720 When Mr Modi ran for a second term as Prime Minister, 130 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:42,880 his brand of Hindu nationalism 131 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,040 was backed by a record number of Indian voters. 132 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,080 His party won the largest majority it had ever seen. 133 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,200 India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, 134 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,760 has secured a second five-year term 135 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,160 in the country's historic general election. 136 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,560 For the first time, the BJP won in areas which they had NEVER won in. 137 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:10,240 You got stupendous victories. 138 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,680 Modi had really, truly become a pan-India figure. 139 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,840 A victory for Mr Modi was interpreted 140 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,480 as a mandate for the muscular nationalism 141 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,200 that Mr Modi and his government had been projecting. 142 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,440 CROWD CHANTS: Modi! Modi! Modi! 143 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,320 REPORTER: The man of the moment 144 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,480 who will take oath of secrecy and office 145 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,080 for the second time as Prime Minister of India. 146 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,600 He was now one of the most powerful politicians 147 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,280 the country had ever seen. 148 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,280 They realise that they can quickly instigate their agenda. 149 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:12,080 The fundamental aim is to Hinduise the way that India functions 150 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,440 and irrevocably change the political, social 151 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,040 and cultural nature of India. 152 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,720 Essentially, the gloves are off. 153 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,560 Mr Modi is definitely trying to make India a majoritarian country, 154 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:34,200 you know, where Hindu primacy is established. 155 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,160 I don't think that there's any doubt about that. 156 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,360 This regime wants to accommodate the Hindus 157 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,320 and basically disenfranchise the Muslims. 158 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,840 The idea is to make India a Hindu nation. 159 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,600 There is a Hindu population in India. 160 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,520 It's more than... Around 80%. 161 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,640 Major support for BJP comes from those people, 162 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,640 those who consider themselves as Hindu. 163 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,080 That doesn't mean anti-Muslim party or anti-Sikh 164 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:02,560 or anti-Christian party. 165 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,360 It is the most centralised government that has ever 166 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:08,720 been run in India. 167 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,440 There's almost no pushback to any kind of order 168 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,280 that comes from Narendra Modi. 169 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,360 All decision-making is directly controlled. 170 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,520 Mr Modi would quickly turn his attention to the only part 171 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,840 of India with a Muslim majority. 172 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:42,840 I'm Habeel Iqbal. 173 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:47,880 I'm a lawyer and I work in Kashmir. 174 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:55,840 Many rumours were going on that the government are going to change 175 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:57,240 Jammu and Kashmir. 176 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:04,120 What the politicians were saying made it clear that something 177 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,000 sinister is in the offing. 178 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,920 Kashmir is one of India's most sensitive areas... 179 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,480 ..marred by years of terrorism 180 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,200 and part of a bitter conflict with neighbouring Pakistan. 181 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:24,960 For some 70 years, 182 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,120 special rules had allowed Kashmiris to run their own affairs. 183 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,800 But this was unacceptable to the party in power. 184 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:42,640 The BJP's manifestos, right from the '90s or even earlier, 185 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:46,680 had certain particular demands which were there. 186 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,000 One was the rescinding of Article 370, 187 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,320 which gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. 188 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,040 We regard the whole of Kashmir as a part of India. 189 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,600 So we said, "Why should we have 190 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,920 "this Article 370 to keep Kashmir differently?" 191 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,840 Nine weeks after Mr Modi's swearing in, 192 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,600 troops were sent into Kashmir. 193 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,320 REPORTER: The government approves sending in 10,000 194 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,880 additional paramilitary troops to Jammu and Kashmir. 195 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,840 REPORTER: The centre is now rushing about 25,000 more 196 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,120 paramilitary personnel to the valley. 197 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,560 Now, this is all for a massive security drive to counter terrorism 198 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,800 and bolster the security preparedness. 199 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:30,840 REPORTER: Major politicians in the region 200 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:32,360 were placed under house arrest. 201 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:36,040 Internet and phone services are completely cut off. 202 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,200 Strict curfew was put throughout Kashmir. 203 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,760 There was a complete communication blackout. 204 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,360 Completely, we were cut off from the outside world. 205 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,200 The fear and anxiety was creeping up. 206 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:01,880 On the 5th of August, Mr Modi's government scrapped the arrangement 207 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:06,040 that gave Kashmir autonomy and took direct control. 208 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,720 REPORTER: India's government has made a significant move 209 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,200 to take direct control of the state of Kashmir. 210 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,080 Opposition parties have called this one of the darkest days 211 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:17,640 for Indian democracy. 212 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,960 Now you can say that Jammu and Kashmir is ruled from New Delhi. 213 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:29,760 And a new policy of "Indianisation" is taking place. 214 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,400 Three days later, Mr Modi addressed the nation. 215 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,080 It was a hugely popular decision within the country. 216 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,960 It may have been contested and there might have been other 217 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,720 issues which, vis-a-vis relations with Pakistan, 218 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,600 but within the country it was hugely popular. 219 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,680 But in Kashmir, the reaction was stark. 220 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,320 EXPLOSION, PEOPLE SHOUT 221 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:31,760 REPORTER: In spite of a curfew, 222 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,440 hundreds of protesters clashed with police after Friday prayers. 223 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,280 The government knew that there would be huge protests. 224 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,720 But the response of the state has been the same 225 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,520 whenever any protest takes place 226 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:56,000 to suppress and to silence the protesters. 227 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,120 People were arbitrarily detained. 228 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:05,960 They were arresting people left, right and centre. 229 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:09,320 It was like a horror show. 230 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:20,880 Nearly 4,000 people were detained in the first month alone. 231 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:26,640 Habeel says he began to hear claims of beatings and torture 232 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,560 at the hands of the authorities. 233 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:33,120 People had been taken in the dead of the night 234 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:37,600 and they were subjected to extreme physical torture. 235 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,840 One guy I met, 236 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,960 torture was being done on him 237 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:45,520 and at the same time, 238 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,160 a public address system was kept near him 239 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:53,600 so that the entire village could hear him cry. 240 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:01,320 It was the tactic to intimidate the entire population. 241 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,760 They don't want the world to see what is happening in Kashmir. 242 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,280 The Indian army has vigorously denied claims of torture. 243 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,360 But the UN's most senior human rights expert spoke out. 244 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,360 I am deeply concerned about the impact of recent actions 245 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:24,440 by the government of India on the human rights of Kashmiris, 246 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,440 including restrictions on internet communication and peaceful assembly 247 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,520 and the detention of local political leaders and activists. 248 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,680 Kashmir is very important for Mr Modi 249 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,480 to harness the Hindu vote in other parts of the country. 250 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:48,880 Showing that the Kashmiri Muslim citizens are being controlled, 251 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,840 are being checked, are being shown their place 252 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,400 is very important for Mr Modi's political sustenance. 253 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:02,160 After, you know, 70 years of this being in a limbo, 254 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,480 Jammu and Kashmir is back to where it should be. 255 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,640 It's a fully integrated part of the Indian Union. 256 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,440 NEWSREADER: There is a growing set of concerns 257 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,040 over a wave of killings targeting Hindus 258 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,160 in Indian-administered Kashmir. 259 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:18,840 In the years that followed, 260 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,040 there were incidents of anti-Hindu violence. 261 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:25,400 REPORTER: The Indian government denies 262 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,560 that there's an atmosphere of fear in Kashmir. 263 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,880 It says its policies are bringing peace and development. 264 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:47,040 During his election campaign, Mr Modi had promised to tackle 265 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,360 a major concern for Hindu nationalists - 266 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:53,040 illegal immigration. 267 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:54,880 He said he would introduce 268 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,800 a national register of Indian citizens. 269 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,480 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 270 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:42,160 The NRC was already being tested in Assam, in a long-term trial 271 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,720 monitored by India's Supreme Court. 272 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,600 For decades, large numbers of Hindus and Muslims 273 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,000 had migrated here from neighbouring Bangladesh. 274 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:59,400 The Muslim migration into Assam has been for economic reasons. 275 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,240 The Hindu migration was basically because of religious persecution 276 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,760 and edging out of the minorities from Bangladesh. 277 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,520 If you want to create a modern state where citizens 278 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,240 should have all the rights, so at least you should define 279 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:15,880 who your citizens are. 280 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,600 In every other country, there is a national population register. 281 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,880 BJP wanted to do that and they should do that. 282 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:24,680 They have all the right. 283 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:30,600 Some feared what the NRC would mean for Assam's large Muslim population. 284 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:36,320 But Mr Modi said it would only target illegal immigrants. 285 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:40,400 What it said was, if you could show documentary evidence 286 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:46,560 of your ancestors being in the state of Assam before 1971, 287 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,920 you would be included in this National Register of Citizens. 288 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,520 If you could not do so, this would become a problem. 289 00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:00,760 One of those who had to prove he was Indian 290 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,920 was Muslim rickshaw driver Nur Hussain. 291 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,800 The authorities said there was also a problem 292 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:10,160 with the papers for Nur's wife, Zahara. 293 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,280 So she was arrested, too. 294 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,560 Nur and Zahara took their children with them. 295 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:48,000 They would all spend the next 18 months in a detention centre. 296 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:54,400 This is not a country that is trying to manage a refugee problem. 297 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,400 This is a country that's manufacturing refugees 298 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,040 out of its own population, you know? 299 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:01,600 This is incredible. 300 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,120 Under the National Register of Citizens, 700,000 Muslims 301 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:11,640 were reportedly declared illegal immigrants, 302 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,440 but so were more than a million Hindus. 303 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:18,480 The government proposed a controversial amendment 304 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:23,440 to India's Citizenship Act that would help solve this problem. 305 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,520 The CAA says that those people who migrated to India 306 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,600 without documentation from Afghanistan, Bangladesh 307 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,240 or Pakistan, which are India's neighbours, 308 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,640 before December 31st, 2014, would be 309 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,000 given citizenship automatically, 310 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:39,360 unless they were Muslim. 311 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:45,120 It's meant, purely, in my opinion, to go after Muslims in this country. 312 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:48,000 It was not against any particular community or group. 313 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,320 It was in favour of persecuted minorities, which includes 314 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,760 Hindus, Sikh, Christians, Buddhists from Bangladesh, 315 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,080 Pakistan and Afghanistan. 316 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,560 Unfortunately, it was misinterpreted in some quarters as meaning 317 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,480 that it could lead to the citizenship of some people 318 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:05,240 being taken away. 319 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,160 The law never said that anything can be taken away. 320 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,800 The law spoke about giving citizenship to people. 321 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,040 Was Mr Modi right in getting this into parliament 322 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,000 and getting it enacted? Yes. 323 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,320 It is something that was welcomed all over India. 324 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,600 THEY CHANT 325 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,800 But protesters took to the streets to voice concern 326 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:32,320 about the future for Muslims in Narendra Modi's India. 327 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:34,760 REPORTER: Thousands gathered to protest against the bill 328 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,240 in several states in India, 329 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,880 describing it as a discriminatory legislation 330 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,520 intended to target Muslims. 331 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:48,520 TRANSLATION: This bill will not harm even a little bit any minority, 332 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:52,880 especially our Muslim brothers and sisters who live in this country, 333 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,520 because this bill only gives citizenship. 334 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:57,640 It doesn't take it away from anybody. 335 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,120 In this bill, they are targeting a community without naming it. 336 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:04,080 It violates the basic structure of the Constitution. 337 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,520 It is divisive and exclusive. 338 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:10,920 They are directly saying that all refugees are welcome 339 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,600 except Muslim refugees. 340 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:20,560 You're just putting a whole population into insecurity. 341 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:26,120 So that was the basis on which these huge protests rose up. 342 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,680 REPORTER: Many in India see this law as anti-Muslim and say it goes 343 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:36,040 against the fundamentals of India's constitution, which says everyone 344 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:37,800 is equal before the law. 345 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,880 The reaction in the country was massive. 346 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,000 The stake was very high. 347 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,720 It defined the identity of India. 348 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,600 The very identity, the very nature 349 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,480 of the Indian state was at stake. 350 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,320 In Delhi, students at a prestigious university 351 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:08,040 gathered for a protest march on India's parliament. 352 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:13,160 All we wanted was one march to the parliament 353 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:17,520 to register our protest against the CAA and the NRC. 354 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:23,440 I strongly believe that the CAA can make a lot of Muslims stateless. 355 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,360 That is why, you know, we've been very vocal. 356 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,440 The police barricaded the road and, you know, stopped the students 357 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,360 from marching forward. 358 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,760 That is when some students tried to cross the barricade. 359 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:42,840 Tear-gas shell is fired, 360 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,560 and it just falls right in front of me. 361 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,320 I just couldn't breathe. 362 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,760 One of my friends, he was completely drenched in blood. 363 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:59,040 We did not expect that a students' protest would be met out 364 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,560 with such brutality by the police. 365 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,480 It was an unbelievable situation to be in, 366 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,040 in Delhi, in the heart of capital. 367 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:14,720 It suddenly seemed like a war zone now. 368 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,680 The violence prompted more student protests. 369 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:27,480 The demonstrations spread. 370 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,440 Then, at the university, 371 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,680 the police decided to move in. 372 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:36,280 THUDDING, SCREAMING 373 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,240 Suddenly, the police burst inside... 374 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,760 ..beating people like anything. 375 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:49,600 SHOUTING 376 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,160 Students were hiding under the tables and, you know, 377 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,160 they were shouting for help, for mercy, 378 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,480 but the police action continued indiscriminately. 379 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,520 GLASS SHATTERS 380 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,960 SHOUTING CONTINUES 381 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,200 REPORTER: Students try to hide from the police 382 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:21,760 and shield themselves from the tear gas in the air. 383 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,720 In the men's bathroom, an injured student, 384 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,120 and another one, who lay unconscious. 385 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:31,320 Dozens of them were taken to the local hospital. 386 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:33,560 Police came inside. They dragged us all... 387 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,840 They say they were beaten by the police for protesting 388 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,440 against India's new citizenship law. 389 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,440 They beat up the students. 390 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:47,680 They vandalised the university, 391 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:51,240 created an environment of fear and terror, to teach us a lesson, 392 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:52,920 to never protest again. 393 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:59,000 The police said they were trying to restore law and order. 394 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,040 Their actions led to even bigger protests. 395 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,600 REPORTER: Today, people marched... 396 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,120 ..in Delhi... 397 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,560 ..Mumbai... 398 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,640 ..Kolkata, against what they see as a divisive law 399 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:26,400 that discriminates against Muslim migrants. 400 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:28,760 An unprecedented show of dissent 401 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:32,560 against the country's Hindu nationalist leadership. 402 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,440 REPORTER: Protests have now escalated 403 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,600 and it's across the country. It's now a pan-India agitation. 404 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,360 NEWSREADER: There have been violent protests in major cities 405 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,400 across India, mostly in opposition to a new citizenship law, 406 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:51,560 which many see as discriminating 407 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:54,560 against the nation's large Muslim minority. 408 00:32:56,520 --> 00:33:00,080 In Delhi, protesters occupied parts of the city 409 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,880 and said they'd stay until the new law was repealed. 410 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,080 Safoora Zargar was among them. 411 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:15,680 I think more and more people become aware of the consequences 412 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,320 of the CAA and NRC, 413 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:22,280 you know, and that is why I feel that this protest became a movement. 414 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:27,480 I'm puzzled as to why there should have been 415 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:31,240 a significant Muslim protest in places like Delhi. 416 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,520 They were very much Muslims who'd been settled in Delhi 417 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:38,240 for a long, long time. 418 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,200 They were not threatened in any way. 419 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,920 And in my view, this was not a protest about citizenship. 420 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:48,400 This was a protest about Muslims feeling 421 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:52,080 that they had lost their foothold 422 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,880 in the political system over the past... 423 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:57,560 ..seven, eight years. 424 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:07,360 Hardline Hindu clerics made threats against the Muslim protesters. 425 00:34:27,720 --> 00:34:31,520 Supporters of Mr Modi held their own demonstrations. 426 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,880 You had senior BJP politicians appearing 427 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:43,240 and threatening the protesters. 428 00:34:43,240 --> 00:34:46,480 As the protests entered their third month, 429 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,880 Narendra Modi's India had never seemed so divided. 430 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,160 But support for the embattled Prime Minister 431 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:57,600 came from an unexpected quarter. 432 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,920 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 433 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,240 We now invite the dynamic, 434 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:16,960 dedicated and determined architect of New India, 435 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,320 Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi 436 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,160 for his welcome remarks. 437 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,480 CHEERING 438 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:32,800 CHEERING 439 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:41,360 Friends, 440 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,760 I present to you, my friend... 441 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:52,400 ..India's friend, the President of the United States of America, 442 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,760 Mr Donald Trump. 443 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,520 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 444 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:58,560 Namaste, Trump! 445 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:01,320 Namaste, Trump! 446 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,120 Namaste, namaste. 447 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,960 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 448 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:12,200 Let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude 449 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:14,680 to an exceptional leader, 450 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,160 a great champion of India, 451 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,760 a man who works night and day 452 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:24,400 for his country, and a man I am proud to call my true friend, 453 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,120 Prime Minister Modi. 454 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,880 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 455 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:33,520 Your nation has always been admired around the Earth as the place 456 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:37,120 where millions upon millions of Hindus and Muslims 457 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,320 worship side by side in harmony. 458 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,400 Your unity is an inspiration to the world. 459 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,720 We love you. We love you, India, very much. 460 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:54,480 Thank you. Thank you. 461 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,000 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 462 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:04,880 LOUD BANG 463 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,960 REPORTER: The situation is deteriorating as we speak. 464 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:14,240 Anti and pro-CAA protesters clashing. 465 00:37:14,240 --> 00:37:16,640 Violence and vandalism continues. 466 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,520 REPORTER: This violence between anti and pro-CAA protesters 467 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,600 took a turn for the worse. 468 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:25,000 REPORTER: You can see the situation is very volatile. 469 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,000 Both the sides are clashing with each other. 470 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,200 You can see again, massive pelting. 471 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,000 Massive pelting as of now is going on. 472 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:42,520 REPORTER: The national capital, a battleground. 473 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:48,600 Violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims have rocked the city. 474 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,400 ANIMATED CONVERSATION 475 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,040 LOUD CRACK, HE CRIES OUT 476 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,920 HE SINGS QUIETLY 477 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,480 RAGGED SINGING 478 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:24,880 PROTESTER GROANS 479 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:26,880 POLICEMAN SHOUTS 480 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:44,680 The video of Faizan's beating went viral. 481 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:52,120 This Muslim man was beaten to death by the police. 482 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:54,160 Faizan was 23. 483 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:59,840 When I saw that video, I really thought, 484 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:02,520 what a disgusting society we are. 485 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,040 What a disgusting society we are. 486 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:11,520 EXPLOSION 487 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:14,840 The violence lasted for six days. 488 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,680 They are meant to protect all of India's people. 489 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:33,640 But here, the police are seen with Hindus throwing 490 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:35,520 stones towards Muslims. 491 00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:41,400 Videos like these have been emerging since the violence last week. 492 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:54,600 500 people were injured during the riots. 493 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,000 53 were killed. 494 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:04,120 Two thirds of the dead were reportedly Muslim. 495 00:43:10,120 --> 00:43:13,640 An investigation by Amnesty International concluded 496 00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:18,680 that the police committed serious human rights violations, including 497 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:23,760 torture and ill treatment, excessive and arbitrary use of force 498 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:28,400 on protesters, and active participation in the violence. 499 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:34,560 The Amnesty report on the violence in Delhi showed that the police 500 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,400 did not act as it should have acted. 501 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,600 Where it did act, it often named the wrong people. 502 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:46,120 Often the victims were named as the perpetrators of the violence. 503 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:50,160 And we called for a proper investigation into these acts, 504 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:52,280 which hasn't happened so far. 505 00:43:54,440 --> 00:43:58,280 Delhi police said the Amnesty report was lopsided, 506 00:43:58,280 --> 00:44:02,440 biased against the police, and maliciously made a case 507 00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:04,400 of human rights violations. 508 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:08,040 In the larger scheme of things, 509 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:12,440 the Delhi riots were not important, but they were important to the media 510 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:16,480 because it means less work and you can get good media footage 511 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:18,080 just at your doorstep. 512 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:25,080 No police officers have been charged over the beatings 513 00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:26,640 of Asim and Faizan. 514 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:32,240 Delhi police say their investigation continues. 515 00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:01,880 The police arrested more than 2,000 people over the violence, 516 00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:04,800 both Hindus and Muslims. 517 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:09,120 And in the weeks that followed, they launched operations to arrest 518 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:12,520 those they considered ringleaders of the riots. 519 00:45:22,240 --> 00:45:25,400 On 10th April, the doorbell rang. 520 00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:27,920 My husband came and he just said, 521 00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:30,720 "Some people have come to ask you questions." 522 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:35,880 A group of seven or eight policemen said, "Pack your bags." 523 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,160 I was not expecting my arrest. 524 00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:42,520 They took me. 525 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:49,360 And the roads are completely empty and deserted. 526 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:52,960 I couldn't see anybody. 527 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:54,920 That was the scary part of it. 528 00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:57,160 That feeling of being so alone. 529 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:04,160 There were charges against me, including hate speech, rioting, 530 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:06,560 criminal conspiracy, 531 00:46:06,560 --> 00:46:07,800 murder. 532 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:09,920 Attempt to murder. 533 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:13,720 The maximum sentence would be lifetime imprisonment. 534 00:46:19,480 --> 00:46:21,640 This is the Tihar Jail. 535 00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:28,440 India's most-hardened criminals are kept here. 536 00:46:28,440 --> 00:46:33,080 Muslim student Safoora was arrested and charged under a new legal 537 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:35,800 provision in an anti-terrorism law 538 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:42,040 called the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, or UAPA. 539 00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:44,880 The first act of Mr Modi after becoming Prime Minister 540 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:49,120 in his second tenure was to make an amendment in the UAPA 541 00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:52,560 which permitted the government to declare individual citizens 542 00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:56,520 as terrorists, which was completely different from organisations 543 00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:58,720 being declared as terrorist organisations. 544 00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:02,360 Anybody could be declared a terrorist and be put behind bars 545 00:47:02,360 --> 00:47:06,040 and would not be able to get bail for a long period of time. 546 00:47:07,560 --> 00:47:10,880 First of all, I was put into complete isolation. 547 00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,280 There's a cell, a very small cell. 548 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:21,960 I was pregnant and it was my first baby. 549 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:27,760 My biggest nightmare was giving birth in jail. 550 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:31,600 I couldn't imagine doing it all alone inside a prison. 551 00:47:33,680 --> 00:47:37,040 Safoora spent 74 days in jail. 552 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:45,200 Safoora Zargar, the pregnant Jamia Millia Islamia student, was granted 553 00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:48,600 bail today by the High Court after the police did not 554 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:51,480 oppose her bail on humanitarian grounds. 555 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:59,120 She is one of 16 Muslims accused of being key conspirators 556 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:03,640 in the Delhi riots, and charged under anti-terror laws. 557 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:06,280 TOY SQUEAKS 558 00:48:12,760 --> 00:48:16,720 It started like a complete witch hunt of all those people who were 559 00:48:16,720 --> 00:48:19,400 involved in the anti-CAA protests. 560 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:22,640 And, you know, to suppress dissent, to make an example out of us 561 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:24,800 and to put us behind bars. 562 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:27,840 I'm very confident that they will not be able to prove even 563 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:29,440 one charge against us. 564 00:48:32,920 --> 00:48:34,720 There was CCTV footage, 565 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:37,360 there were messages, there were WhatsApp group chats. 566 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:39,920 On the basis of that, they got arrested. 567 00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:42,640 And they were people from different communities, 568 00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:45,240 not from a particular community. 569 00:48:45,240 --> 00:48:52,160 The irony is that when...after the riots were over, the victims 570 00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:55,600 became the guilty men and women, 571 00:48:55,600 --> 00:48:59,840 and were accused of being responsible for the riots. 572 00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:03,960 So, many were sent to jail, and they are still in jail. 573 00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:23,560 By now, India was battling a new threat - coronavirus. 574 00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:27,080 Strict lockdowns made further protest impossible. 575 00:49:28,360 --> 00:49:32,080 But enmity between Hindus and Muslims remained. 576 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:58,160 I am a journalist reporting on hate crimes and the rise 577 00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:00,640 of extreme politics. 578 00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:06,280 Mostly my job is to go through videos of violence and hate speech. 579 00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:20,240 India is a state where calls for genocide against Muslims 580 00:50:20,240 --> 00:50:21,400 are on the rise. 581 00:50:22,880 --> 00:50:26,720 A colleague was reporting from the Dharma Sansad, 582 00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:29,760 that is basically Hindu religious parliament. 583 00:50:31,440 --> 00:50:34,840 What they talked about was how Muslims should be eradicated 584 00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:36,480 from the face of the earth. 585 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:48,160 Generally, we come across 10 to 12 videos per week. 586 00:50:48,160 --> 00:50:51,280 Sometimes there are 10 to 12 videos per day. 587 00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:54,280 These videos spread like wildfire. 588 00:50:54,280 --> 00:50:55,960 They just go viral. 589 00:51:10,520 --> 00:51:14,720 Muslims have got the message that they should not expect the state 590 00:51:14,720 --> 00:51:15,920 to protect them. 591 00:51:17,560 --> 00:51:22,160 We are talking to each other saying, "Do you think it will happen? 592 00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:26,560 "Do you think it's really going to be like Rwanda?" 593 00:51:26,560 --> 00:51:30,000 Why do I speak to you on this film? 594 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:34,960 Only so that there's a record somewhere that all of us 595 00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:36,960 didn't agree with this, you know? 596 00:51:36,960 --> 00:51:40,640 But it's not a call for help, because no help will come. 597 00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:46,200 In June last year, a BJP spokeswoman made comments 598 00:51:46,200 --> 00:51:50,440 about the Prophet Muhammad on TV that angered Muslims in India 599 00:51:50,440 --> 00:51:52,120 and around the world. 600 00:51:53,640 --> 00:51:57,520 Two Muslim men killed a Hindu who they said supported 601 00:51:57,520 --> 00:51:59,440 the politician's comments. 602 00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:03,280 The men were arrested after they posted a film of the killing 603 00:52:03,280 --> 00:52:06,800 online and made threats against Mr Modi. 604 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:12,240 There are extremist groups from either side. 605 00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:14,320 And because of the provocation of social media, 606 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:17,000 that has become a phenomena, you can say. 607 00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:21,120 Even if there are calls from Hindu groups, then there 608 00:52:21,120 --> 00:52:22,840 are Muslim groups also. 609 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:25,600 This is happening from both sides, and this should be stopped. 610 00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:28,560 We should take action, whether it's said by Hindus, 611 00:52:28,560 --> 00:52:30,960 whether it's said by Muslims, whether it's said by Sikhs, 612 00:52:30,960 --> 00:52:34,400 or whoever, there are boundaries of free speech... 613 00:52:36,120 --> 00:52:37,640 ..in India. 614 00:52:37,640 --> 00:52:38,960 And there should be. 615 00:52:38,960 --> 00:52:42,520 I think the larger issue that we do not promote any form 616 00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:46,440 of extremism has been said by Mr Modi many times. 617 00:52:54,160 --> 00:52:57,920 The work that many of us do is very dangerous. 618 00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:03,960 I have received death threats, but that does not deter me. 619 00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:10,600 Reporting today has become more risky, more dangerous, 620 00:53:10,600 --> 00:53:14,200 more difficult, and quite frankly, 621 00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:16,360 based on where we are today, 622 00:53:16,360 --> 00:53:18,400 the path looks even rockier. 623 00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:26,280 Today in India, reporters face violence, intimidation and arrest 624 00:53:26,280 --> 00:53:27,800 for doing their jobs. 625 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:35,920 Campaigners say press freedom has declined since Narendra Modi 626 00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:39,520 came to power, and is now in crisis. 627 00:53:43,120 --> 00:53:46,600 He views independent media as something that is going to do 628 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:49,920 damage to him and that is hostile to him. 629 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:54,320 I think he believes in the politics of full-spectrum dominance. 630 00:53:55,760 --> 00:54:00,320 From his point of view, throttling the media, or exercising a high 631 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:05,040 degree of control over the media, is essential to his project. 632 00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:11,040 Human rights campaigners say they are also under attack. 633 00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:15,200 Amnesty in India says it was forced to suspend operations 634 00:54:15,200 --> 00:54:17,240 by the government. 635 00:54:17,240 --> 00:54:20,920 The government said the group had broken the law by circumventing 636 00:54:20,920 --> 00:54:23,840 rules around foreign donations. 637 00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:27,400 What he has done, in effect, is to be able 638 00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:31,000 to shut down a very large part of civil society in this country. 639 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:35,440 Thousands of NGOs have shut after 2015, and it's quite dire. 640 00:54:35,440 --> 00:54:39,240 I don't think that the NGO space, the civil society space, 641 00:54:39,240 --> 00:54:43,080 has seen such a time ever in the history of independent India. 642 00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:49,960 When Narendra Nodi came to power in 2014, India was considered 643 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:55,840 to be a free country by the US think-tank Freedom House. 644 00:54:55,840 --> 00:54:58,640 Now it is only partly free. 645 00:55:01,560 --> 00:55:03,600 Our democracy may not be perfect. 646 00:55:05,200 --> 00:55:06,760 But it keeps on improving. 647 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:12,320 And I think there's enough elbow room for everybody to have opinions, 648 00:55:12,320 --> 00:55:16,880 whether they are...rational or otherwise. 649 00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:24,000 Safoora Zargar remains on bail. 650 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:28,880 They have dehumanised Muslims in the country. 651 00:55:28,880 --> 00:55:30,800 It is being made very clear - 652 00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:33,880 Muslims will have to live like second-class citizens. 653 00:55:37,240 --> 00:55:41,840 Kismatun is still fighting to identify the police officers 654 00:55:41,840 --> 00:55:43,960 who beat her son to death. 655 00:55:55,640 --> 00:55:59,120 The men accused of attacking Alimuddin Ansari are 656 00:55:59,120 --> 00:56:01,120 still out on bail. 657 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:18,440 Under Narendra Modi, India has been transformed. 658 00:56:20,200 --> 00:56:23,360 He remains enormously popular 659 00:56:23,360 --> 00:56:25,160 and hugely divisive. 660 00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:31,520 What was politically incorrect has now become the consensus. 661 00:56:33,320 --> 00:56:39,960 No longer does a Hindu think that it is wrong to demand special 662 00:56:39,960 --> 00:56:41,720 rights for Hindus. 663 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:46,160 Mr Modi has been able to successfully give voice 664 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:47,440 to this sentiment. 665 00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:54,320 Muslims in India are in a position that they've never been before, 666 00:56:54,320 --> 00:56:58,400 and I don't know how it is that we'll be able to come out of it. 667 00:56:58,400 --> 00:57:03,040 The perception that Mr Modi is anti-Muslim is widespread. 668 00:57:03,040 --> 00:57:06,240 I don't deny that. It's there. 669 00:57:06,240 --> 00:57:12,560 But I think what is important to realise is that - is there a single 670 00:57:12,560 --> 00:57:17,680 institutional obstacle which debars Muslims or gives 671 00:57:17,680 --> 00:57:20,080 Hindus exceptional privilege? 672 00:57:20,080 --> 00:57:22,040 There isn't. 673 00:57:25,120 --> 00:57:30,320 The West is looking at India as the best way 674 00:57:30,320 --> 00:57:32,080 to balance China. 675 00:57:32,080 --> 00:57:38,680 And that is the reason why they will not criticise, they will not condemn 676 00:57:38,680 --> 00:57:42,240 most of the decisions which have been made. 677 00:57:42,240 --> 00:57:46,680 Human rights are not very high on the list any more 678 00:57:46,680 --> 00:57:49,840 because there is a bigger challenge. 679 00:57:51,640 --> 00:57:56,000 It is important to the West not only economically but also politically. 680 00:57:56,000 --> 00:57:58,480 Any big conversation in international affairs, 681 00:57:58,480 --> 00:58:02,240 climate change, global finance, requires India to be in the room. 682 00:58:02,240 --> 00:58:04,920 There can be no solution without India. 683 00:58:04,920 --> 00:58:08,800 But it looks to be descending into some form of authoritarianism 684 00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:11,720 where power is in the hands of one individual. 685 00:58:11,720 --> 00:58:14,280 I think with a high degree of certainty, he'll win the next 686 00:58:14,280 --> 00:58:17,120 election, maybe he'll win the election after that. 687 00:58:17,120 --> 00:58:20,680 And that means for young people in India that that will be the only 688 00:58:20,680 --> 00:58:21,960 India they know.