Is there liberal opposition to what is going on, even in a more diverse India with a raucous democratic tradition?
Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.
In this episode, we discuss how and why, across the complex region of South Asia, majorities are convinced that minorities are a threat.
South Asia is a region of some two billion, but right-wing politics and religious majoritarianism, the arms of the state and the media, are coming together to threaten democracy and the health and longevity of states. The politics of hate in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is fuelling, and feeds off, religious majoritarianism.
Nirmal Ghosh hosts Farahnaz Ispahani, a former journalist, former member of Pakistan’s parliament, and currently a senior fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute in Washington DC, and Salil Tripathi, author, journalist and member of the Board of PEN International.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:40 Why Pakistan is the worst among "religious majoritarian states" in South Asia; add to that a "nuclear-armed Pakistan with an economy in free fall"
3:40 On the history and similar trajectory in Bangladesh and also, how "the liberal Pakistani used to look up to India for its democratic roots and tradition, when now… if you're Muslim, you can't be safe in India."
9:05 How the religious right and the political right have come together to make the majority feel they're under threat from the minority
12:16 How this trend is happening, as our guest expert offers daily life examples in India
17:15 On how the media in these South Asia countries could amplify divisions
Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r
Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Asian Insider videos: https://str.sg/wdcC
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#STAsianInsider
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
