On July 9th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath of office for the third consecutive term, nearly a week after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were announced. Following the victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Modi formed a new government with his freshly appointed cabinet. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Modi, secured a decisive majority, leading to his reappointment for a third term.
This event was historically significant for a contentious reason: it marked the first time in independent India’s history that no Muslim took the oath as a Union minister following a General Election.
This event was historically significant for a contentious reason: it marked the first time in independent India’s history that no Muslim took the oath as a Union minister following a General Election.
The new Council of Ministers under Modi’s third term comprises 72 members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NDA established the new Union government with Modi at the helm, supported by 30 Cabinet Ministers. Additionally, five Lok Sabha Members of Parliament were sworn in as Ministers of State with Independent Charge, and 36 leaders took the oath as Ministers of State.
To emphasise further, no Muslim, Christian, or Sikh MPs are among the 293 elected MPs of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. This time, the ruling NDA lacks any Sikh, Christian, or Muslim representation among their 293 MPs. However, the union ministry does include non-elected Christian and Sikh leaders.
Despite Muslims making up over 200 million of India’s population, Sikhs numbering over 23 million, and Christians exceeding 22 million, the BJP-led NDA has no representation from these communities among its 293 elected MPs. This lack of diversity was highlighted in an analysis by Hindustan Times.
Trinamool Congress leader and elected MP Mahua Moitra remarked on this absence, stating: ‘Over 200 million Muslims, 23 million Sikhs, and 22 million Christians in India, yet the NDA has zero representation in the Lok Sabha. Modi Ke Saath Sabka Vinaash.’
The outgoing council of ministers under Prime Minister Narendra Modi also did not include a Muslim minister after Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi of the BJP was not re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2022. Naqvi, who had taken the oath as Minister of Minority Affairs, was the only Muslim minister in Modi’s government. The BJP, which is part of the NDA and has nearly 400 MPs, thus continues to lack Muslim representation in its ministerial ranks.
The BJP, which is part of the NDA and has nearly 400 MPs, thus continues to lack Muslim representation in its ministerial ranks.
The previous councils of ministers sworn in after each General Election in Independent India always included at least one Muslim MP. When PM Narendra Modi first took the oath in 2014, Najma Heptulla was appointed as the Minority Affairs Minister. In 2019, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took the same position after being sworn in.
In 1999, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government included two Muslim ministers, Shahnawaz Hussain and Omar Abdullah. In the 1998 Vajpayee-led ministry, Naqvi served as Minister of State.
The Congress-led UPA governments had notable Muslim representation, with four Muslim MPs in the council of ministers in 2004 and five in 2009.
This election cycle, however, no Muslim candidates from NDA allies were elected to the 18th Lok Sabha. The BJP fielded only one Muslim candidate, in Kerala’s Malappuram constituency, while JD(U), an NDA partner, fielded a Muslim candidate in Bihar’s Kishanganj constituency, who lost to the Congress candidate.
BJP-led NDA versus INDIA alliance
Analysing the caste composition of MPs elected under the BJP-NDA and INDIA alliances reveals significant disparities. Upper-caste Hindus, including Brahmins, Rajputs, and others, comprise 33.2% of the NDA list, while intermediate castes such as Maratha, Jat, Lingayat, Patidar, Reddy, and Vokkaliga account for 15.7%. OBCs, including Yadavs and Kurmis, represent 26.2% of NDA MPs. In contrast, the INDIA alliance has 12.4% upper-caste Hindus, 11.9% intermediate castes, and 30.7% OBC representation.
Dalits make up 13.3% of NDA MPs and 17.8% of those in the INDIA alliance. Tribal representation stands at 10.8% for the NDA and 9.9% for the INDIA alliance.
Dalits make up 13.3% of NDA MPs and 17.8% of those in the INDIA alliance. Tribal representation stands at 10.8% for the NDA and 9.9% for the INDIA alliance.
Muslims constitute 7.9% of the INDIA alliance list, with 22 Muslim MPs elected on their tickets, contributing to a total of 24 Muslim MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha. Christian representation in the INDIA alliance stands at 3.5%. Notably, the Buddhist community has no representation among the elected MPs from both the NDA and INDIA alliances.
BJP’s mission of hate against Muslims and other minorities
The Hindu nationalist BJP’s election campaign was characterised by inflammatory and genocidal remarks against Muslims, India’s largest religious minority, with Narendra Modi himself delivering over a hundred hate speeches. Over the past decade under Modi’s leadership, religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians, have experienced various forms of violence, ranging from street violence by Hindu right-wing groups to actions endorsed by the state.
Just days after India began its six-week election process, where Modi was seeking a rare third term, the 73-year-old leader addressed a rally in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. During his speech, Modi claimed that if the Congress party, India’s largest opposition party, returned to power, they would distribute the country’s wealth to “infiltrators,” a term often used to refer to Muslims.
‘When they (Congress) were in power, they said Muslims have the first right over the country’s wealth. They will take all your wealth and distribute it among those who have more children… among infiltrators,’ Modi warned the crowd. ‘Do you think your hard-earned money should be given to infiltrators? Would you accept this?’ he added.
The BJP and its supporters have previously labeled Muslims as infiltrators and criticised them for their higher birth rates. Such comments have stoked fears among BJP supporters that Muslims might surpass Hindus in population. Muslims constitute about 200 million of India’s 1.4 billion people and are yet missing in the cabinet.
