Ever since Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in India, there has been a rise in the production of Hindutva pop and anti-Muslim music.
What was earlier fringe has now become mainstream. Blazing anti-Muslim music that caters to Hindutva ideology during Hindu festivals and other functions organized by Hindutva ideologues is very common.
Nowadays, Sandeep Acharya, Upendra Rana, Laxmi Dubey, Krishnavanshi and many others have been spreading hate in India while singing songs promoting saffronization in India. Sandeep’s song get millions of views on social media. Lyrics are purposeful anti-Muslim.
Hindutva is seeping into pop culture now inducting riots and violence. Sandeep makes music that targets India’s Muslim population as millions of users stream his songs online, and thousands of fans attend his concerts.
He belongs to India’s Hindutva music scene – an Islamophobic scene that has been on the rise in India. Hindutva pop is often played when Hindu groups rally in India. Some songs have even sparked violence and riot directed against Muslims in India.
“Hinduo kaa hae Hindustan, Mullo jaao Pakistan, Insan nahi ho salo tum ho kasai, boht huwa Hindu Muslim bhai bhai, if you live in India then must learn to sing ‘Vande Mataram’, those who do not hail ram as traitors” says a few lyrics of a song. Lyrics of ‘Vande Mataram’ equate country with the Hindu goddesses Durga and Lakshmi which goes against the concept of Tawheed (oneness of God) according to which a Muslim cannot supplicate to anyone except God.
These lyrics are typical of a growing pop music movement in India: far-right anti-Muslim songs. Laxmi Dubey calls herself Kali, the goddess of death, and is staunch advocate of Hindutva, a militant ideology that believes in the supremacy of Hinduism over all other religions in India.
Her Videos are filled with saffron imagery with Hindus wearing saffron robes, holding swords and dancing to her music. In one of her songs, she vows to kill anyone who gets in the way of building a temple for the “god” Ram. Upendra Rana’s voice is extending him the rising popularity in India. Such genre’s anti-Muslim lyrics are leading to increased violence against Muslims across the India.
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