Abdullah Mahmood

An insightful and meticulously researched documentary delves into the far-right Hindu political leadership in India, illuminating the stark disparity in rights and freedoms faced by Indian Muslims, who are subjected to brutal acts of violence and discrimination based solely on their religious beliefs. The film explores the background of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was trained by the all-male Hindu nationalist paramilitary organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. With a core belief in establishing Hindu superiority over all other faiths in India, the RSS has produced many members of the current BJP party. The lack of action taken by the police against Hindu extremists is also examined, as evidenced by the harrowing account of a man who was beaten and tortured, with his cries of pain broadcast over a public address (PA) system to the local community as a warning to others. The brutal killing of Muslims by the police, including the case of 23-year-old Faizan, who was beaten and filmed by police officers, remains unpunished. The documentary also sheds light on the judiciary being circumvented, with government officials changing judges to secure illegitimate dismissals for Hindu defendants charged with murder, while simultaneously targeting Muslim students at universities who protested the discriminatory National Register of citizens. A register which has widely been called out as discriminatory to Muslims, including by the High Commissioner of Human Rights to the United Nations and Amnesty International. Despite overwhelming evidence and primary testimony against Prime Minister Modi, he has managed to escape justice, leading some to believe that corruption within the Indian judiciary is complicit in supporting the Hindu nationalist agenda, given the high-profile case was decided by the Supreme Court of India. Whistleblowers who spoke out against Modi have been met with harsh consequences, including 20-year prison sentences, at a time when the world is strengthening protections for those who raise accountability. The state's increasingly anti-journalistic policies and weakened press freedoms further suggest an evasion of accountability to the world. The documentary provides a critical examination of Hindu nationalism and raises questions about the morality of the current Indian leadership, given its call to violence and false claims about the severity of the situation. It is clear that Modi is fearful of the finding of this documentary, given the recent emergency law passed and the Indian federal government's orders to block many social media companies from screening the documentary.