While trying to explain the seemingly irrational “Bhakti” of the Middle Class towards Modi, we often conclude that this is due to pervasive Islamophobia among the Middle Class. Essentially that the Middle Class has been communalized to such an extent that they are willing to overlook a completely incompetent govt in all spheres from the Economy, handling of the pandemic, foreign policy and now most recently even the fiasco in Ladakh.
This analysis is nowhere close to complete and doesn’t adequately explain the aggressive support for Modi.
While sections of the Middle Class have indeed been communalized, this is by no means pervasive. Most are not baying for Muslim blood but are in fact just willing to overlook the attacks on Muslims for other more compelling reasons. And those reasons have to do with Class and Upper Caste assertion.
The Modi phenomenon amongst the Upper Class/Upper Caste can only be understood when you see this as this socio-economic group’s reaction to any sort of re-distributive, progressive and egalitarian policies.
Far more prevalent than Muslim Hate, is the vociferous opposition to re distributive policies which are termed as Socialist which is a bad word in their dictionary. This Middle Class having gained enormously from the Neo liberal reforms is anxious of “slipping” back from their Upper Middle Class status and looks at their status as signs of their Merit over the poor who are viewed as lazy and undeserving.
The other angle is the caste angle which is expressed not as openly and vehemently as the Class antagonism. The Upper Castes view this version of BJP as the answer to what they felt was the Muslim-OBC alliance which ruled for the past few decades. With Modi that alliance has now been neutralized leading to the rule of the Upper castes and end to “jungle raj” in their words.
Only when you view the Modi phenomenon as this coalition of Class War, Caste Dominance and Muslim haters do you get the full picture of the Middle Class’ unwavering support for Modi. When viewed through this lens you can understand that why its so personal for them and any attack on Modi is viewed as a personal attack on them and responded with such vengeance and personal insults and threats. It also explains the Bhakti, not as an irrational phenomenon but as a very logical calculation on their part. Which other party has the intent and the capacity to enforce Class/Caste dominance at the National scale as compared to the BJP.
The key takeaway from this is that this class will continue its support for Modi irrespective of the deaths and destruction to the economy and country that Modi causes. Only a fall from the Middle Class due to unemployment and penury has the potential of changing their views.”