The Digital Production of 'Otherness'
The receipts speak for themselves: FIRST INSTANCE: Pre-Digital Demonization. The systematic othering of Muslim populations in India has deep historical roots, particularly gaining political traction with the rise of Hindu nationalism. During the 1980s, the Ayodhya movement, which led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, was fueled by a carefully constructed narrative portraying Muslims
as foreign invaders and a threat to Hindu identity. Political rallies and print media of the era frequently employed inflammatory rhetoric and imagery (Human Rights Watch, 1993) to create a clear 'us vs. them' dichotomy. This established a precedent where a perceived threat from a minority group was instrumentalized for electoral gain. REPETITIONS: Analog Amplification (2002-2014). The 2002
Gujarat riots, under the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saw widespread violence against the Muslim community. While not primarily digital, the events were preceded by and accompanied by the dissemination of pamphlets, speeches, and local media reports that amplified existing stereotypes and incited hatred. Reports from independent commissions (PUCL, 2002) documented instances where state
apparatus was accused of complicity and inaction, demonstrating a pattern where narratives of Muslim aggression or inferiority were allowed to proliferate unchecked, contributing to real-world violence. Later, ahead of the 2014 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaign, while officially focused on development, frequently saw surrogates and party affiliates utilize social media