For the first time since India’s independence, the Union cabinet has no Muslim representation, reflecting a significant change in the political landscape.
The 200 million-strong Muslim community is unrepresented in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
On June 9, at 7:15 pm, Narendra Modi took the oath as India’s 15th Prime Minister, marking his third consecutive term, a milestone not seen since Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure.
Notably, none of the 71 ministers sworn in with him are from the Muslim community, marking a shift in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) approach to minority representation.
In the recent elections, the BJP fielded only one Muslim candidate in Mallapuram, who lost. The last Muslim MP in Modi’s cabinet was Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who did not secure re-election to the Rajya Sabha in 2022, leaving his seat vacant.
Historically, the BJP had Muslim ministers, including Najma Heptulla in 2014 and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in 2019.
During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s terms, Muslim ministers like Shahnawaz Hussain and Omar Abdullah were included.
While the Union cabinet currently lacks Muslim ministers, the Indian Parliament will have significant Muslim representation, mostly from opposition parties.
Twenty-four Muslim candidates have been elected as MPs, including 21 from the INDIA bloc, one from AIMIM, and two independents.
In contrast, non-elected Sikhs and Christians, such as Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurien, have been included in Modi’s cabinet.
Bittu, who switched from Congress to BJP, and Kurien, a long-time BJP member, highlight selective minority representation.
This absence of Muslim ministers raises questions about the BJP’s commitment to representing all communities in India.
As India progresses under Modi’s leadership, the inclusion of all communities in the government is crucial for maintaining the democratic and diverse fabric of the nation.