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India's parliament has fewer Muslims as strength of Modi's party grows

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India's parliament has fewer Muslims as strength of Modi's party grows
News

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India's parliament has fewer Muslims as strength of Modi's party grows

2024-05-15 19:23 Last Updated At:19:30

MALAPPURAM, India (AP) — Preventing Muslim migrants from gaining citizenship. Revoking the semi-autonomy of the country’s only Muslim-majority region. Building a Hindu temple where a violent mob razed a mosque.

These were political triumphs for Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past decade, burnishing his reputation as a leader who prioritizes the interests of India's Hindu majority. For India's 200 million Muslims, they highlight their waning political power in the world's largest democracy.

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FILE - A group of Muslims huddle together in the back of a mini truck after violent clashes in the locality in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 26, 2020. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India are not new, but they have gotten worse under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

MALAPPURAM, India (AP) — Preventing Muslim migrants from gaining citizenship. Revoking the semi-autonomy of the country’s only Muslim-majority region. Building a Hindu temple where a violent mob razed a mosque.

FILE- A Muslim rests in his house after breaking Ramadan fast in Ayodhya, India, on March 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

FILE- A Muslim rests in his house after breaking Ramadan fast in Ayodhya, India, on March 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

Supporters of M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, eat breakfast before resuming campaigning in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Supporters of M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, eat breakfast before resuming campaigning in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims check for their names in voters' list as they arrive to vote in Nahal village, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslims check for their names in voters' list as they arrive to vote in Nahal village, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

FILE- Muslim students leave Mahatma Gandhi Memorial college after they were denied entry into the campus for wearing the burqa in Udupi, Karnataka state, India, on Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)

FILE- Muslim students leave Mahatma Gandhi Memorial college after they were denied entry into the campus for wearing the burqa in Udupi, Karnataka state, India, on Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)

A Muslim passerby stops to listen to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's only Muslim candidate during an election campaigns in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim passerby stops to listen to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's only Muslim candidate during an election campaigns in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim woman displays the indelible ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote on the outskirts of Samastipur, in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim woman displays the indelible ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote on the outskirts of Samastipur, in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, second right, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, second right, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Some two hundred million Muslims make up the predominantly Hindu country's largest minority group. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Some two hundred million Muslims make up the predominantly Hindu country's largest minority group. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. In the mid-1980s, Muslims accounted for 11% of India's population, and had 9% of seats in Parliament; today they are 14% of the population and control about 4.6% of Parliament. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. In the mid-1980s, Muslims accounted for 11% of India's population, and had 9% of seats in Parliament; today they are 14% of the population and control about 4.6% of Parliament. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India are not new, but they have gotten worse under Modi, whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party touts a Hindu-nationalist ideology. And with Modi seemingly on the cusp of a third five-year term, the outlook for Muslim politicians — and citizens — is bleak. This year's vote will be decided in June.

It's not just that Modi has ramped up anti-Muslim rhetoric in campaign speeches. Ever since the BJP began its rise as a political force in the mid-1980s, the proportion of Muslim lawmakers in parliament and state legislatures has shrunk.

Muslim representation has fallen in the ruling BJP, and in opposition parties, too.

When Modi assumed power in 2014, the outgoing parliament had 30 Muslim lawmakers — and just one was a member of the BJP. Muslims now hold 25 out of 543 seats, and none belong to the BJP.

India has gone from being a country where Muslims were largely marginalized to one where they are “actively excluded,” said Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political scientist and historian at New Delhi’s Ashoka University.

“Without representation, you are unable to ask the state for resources and articulate the kind of needs the community has in order to progress, whether its education, jobs, health or basic infrastructure,” Mahmudabad said.

In the mid-1980s, Muslims accounted for 11% of India's population, and had 9% of seats in parliament; today they are 14% of the population and have less than 5% of seats in parliament.

Nine out of 10 members in parliament are Hindus, who make up 80 percent of India’s population of 1.4 billion.

The political representation of Muslims at the state level is only slightly better. India has more than 4,000 lawmakers in state legislatures across 28 states and Muslim lawmakers hold roughly 6% of these seats.

A government report in 2006 found Muslims lagged Hindus, Christians and people from India's lower castes in literacy, income and access to education. They have made some gains since then but are still at a significant disadvantage, according to multiple independent studies.

Under Modi's decade in power, the BJP has enacted or proposed various laws that Muslim leaders consider discriminatory.

— Some states ruled by the BJP passed laws restricting interfaith marriage as a way to address what they claim is the threat posed by Hindu women marrying Muslim men and then converting.

— One state formerly ruled by the BJP banned girls from wearing hijabs in school. (The law was reversed after the BJP lost political control.)

— The BJP is advocating a common legal code that would affect some religious practices, by changing some laws in India's constitution that deal with matters ranging from marriage to divorce and inheritance.

Violence against Muslims is commonplace, and Modi has said little to deter it. Muslims have been lynched by Hindu mobs over allegations of eating beef or smuggling cows, an animal considered holy to Hindus. Their homes and businesses have been bulldozed, and their places of worship set on fire.

At recent campaign rallies, Modi has said Muslims are “infiltrators” and that they “have too many children.” Without evidence, he has accused the BJP's main rival, the Congress party, of planning to redistribute the wealth of Hindus to Muslims.

Many Muslims believe Modi is stoking divisions as a campaign strategy.

“They're keeping the Hindu-Muslim issue hot... so they remain enemies,” said Mehmood Bhai Khatri, a 64-year-old Muslim voter from Modi's home state of Gujarat, a BJP stronghold.

“But who will speak up? If they do, they may be picked up (by police) or a bulldozer will be sent to their homes," said Khatri. "So out of fear, nobody speaks up.”

Not one of India's 28 states has a Muslim as chief minister; the BJP and its allies have chief ministers in 19 states.

In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state and where roughly 16% of residents are Muslim, just 7% of state lawmakers are Muslim.

As the BJP becomes ever more powerful, India's opposition parties have become increasingly reluctant to nominate Muslim candidates for fear of alienating Hindu voters, experts say.

While Hindus overwhelmingly rally around the BJP, Muslims have struggled to form a cohesive political agenda, in part because of how diverse their community is across sects, ethnicity, language, customs, and culture.

“There is no way to unite this very heterogeneous group of people, without making Islam the common denominator,” said Mahmudabad, the political scientist.

But when political parties don't field enough Muslims, issues important to them — from minority rights to hate speech — hardly ever get debated in the parliament, said Muhammad Saad, a cab driver in New Delhi who is Muslim.

“If there are no Muslims in the parliament, who will raise the voice for us?” Saad questioned.

Analysts say the BJP has made some outreach efforts to Muslims, such as seeking their help as volunteers and at the polls. But the party fielded just 13 Muslim candidates combined in the 2014 and 2019 elections, and none were elected.

The BJP denies discriminating against Muslim people.

The party "permits accommodation of all kinds of people, not just the Hindus,” said M Abdul Salam, the only Muslim out of some 430 BJP candidates running for parliament this year. If he wins, he will become the first Muslim member of the BJP since 2014 in India’s lower house of the parliament.

Salam, who is from the Muslim-majority southern city of Malappuram, said Muslim politicians from other parties could gain power by joining the BJP’s alliance in parliament.

But Muslims from other parties are struggling simply to stay in office.

S T Hasan, a Muslim member of parliament from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, was not chosen by the Samajwadi Party to seek reelection. He was replaced by a Hindu politician, a decision he believes was made to appeal to Hindu voters, who are the majority in the region he represents.

Hasan said political parties, especially those that consider themselves secular, need to make more room for minority candidates.

“Fair representation of every community is good for a democracy," he said. “But what we are seeing is that one community is being gradually pushed to the corner.”

Pathi reported from New Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Follow AP's Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

FILE - A group of Muslims huddle together in the back of a mini truck after violent clashes in the locality in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 26, 2020. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India are not new, but they have gotten worse under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

FILE - A group of Muslims huddle together in the back of a mini truck after violent clashes in the locality in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 26, 2020. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India are not new, but they have gotten worse under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

FILE- A Muslim rests in his house after breaking Ramadan fast in Ayodhya, India, on March 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

FILE- A Muslim rests in his house after breaking Ramadan fast in Ayodhya, India, on March 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

Supporters of M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, eat breakfast before resuming campaigning in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Supporters of M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, eat breakfast before resuming campaigning in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims check for their names in voters' list as they arrive to vote in Nahal village, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslims check for their names in voters' list as they arrive to vote in Nahal village, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

FILE- Muslim students leave Mahatma Gandhi Memorial college after they were denied entry into the campus for wearing the burqa in Udupi, Karnataka state, India, on Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)

FILE- Muslim students leave Mahatma Gandhi Memorial college after they were denied entry into the campus for wearing the burqa in Udupi, Karnataka state, India, on Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)

A Muslim passerby stops to listen to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's only Muslim candidate during an election campaigns in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim passerby stops to listen to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's only Muslim candidate during an election campaigns in Malappuram, in Indian southern state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim woman displays the indelible ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote on the outskirts of Samastipur, in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Muslim woman displays the indelible ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote on the outskirts of Samastipur, in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, second right, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

M. Abdul Salam, second right, the only Muslim candidate from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party campaigns in Malappuram, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, on April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Some two hundred million Muslims make up the predominantly Hindu country's largest minority group. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Some two hundred million Muslims make up the predominantly Hindu country's largest minority group. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. In the mid-1980s, Muslims accounted for 11% of India's population, and had 9% of seats in Parliament; today they are 14% of the population and control about 4.6% of Parliament. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 11, 2024. In the mid-1980s, Muslims accounted for 11% of India's population, and had 9% of seats in Parliament; today they are 14% of the population and control about 4.6% of Parliament. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga's injury-delayed season debut for the New York Mets was cut short after 5 1/3 innings and 73 pitches when he strained his left calf while pitching against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

After inducing Austin Riley to pop up leading off the sixth, Senga pointed toward Pete Alonso and began sprinting off the mound to clear room for the first baseman. The 31-year-old right-hander grabbed his left calf and bounced for a couple steps before falling.

Senga held his calf as he was surrounded by catcher Francisco Alvarez, manager Carlos Mendoza, his interpreter and an athletic trainer. Senga and the trainer rubbed Senga’s calf before Senga got up, exchanged hugs and handshakes with teammates on the infield and limped off.

Senga, who missed the first 102 games with a right shoulder capsule strain, allowed just two hits — including Adam Duvall’s two-run homer in the second inning — while striking out nine. He retired his final 10 batters.

Runner-up to Arizona's Corbin Carroll for NL Rookie of the Year last season, Senga was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts after signing a $75 million, five-year contract.

Senga began a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on July 3 and went 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts, three for Triple-A Syracuse and one for Class A Brooklyn.

Right-handed reliever Eric Orze was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and emerging reliever Dedniel Núñez was put on the 15-day injured list with a right pronator strain. Right-handers Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami were designated for assignment.

Núñez, 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA and one save in 24 games, had an MRI that didn't reveal any elbow ligament damage, manager Carlos Mendoza said. The 28-year-old right-hander began feeling tightness following back-to-back appearances at Miami last Saturday and experienced discomfort again Wednesday,

Houser, acquired from Milwaukee with outfielder Tyrone Taylor on Dec. 20, was 1-5 with a 7.84 ERA and one save in seven starts and 16 relief appearances. He opened 0-3 with an 8.16 ERA in his first six starts before working himself into a late-inning bullpen role by going 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 appearances from May 10 through June 30.

Hauser was scored upon in all five of his outings this month with a 9.00 ERA.

“Even when we put him in the bullpen, he was always willing to take the baseball and do whatever the team needed,” Mendoza said. “He was such a professional. It was just hard for him to find that consistency.”

Fujinami signed to a $3.35 million, one-year deal and opened the season with Syracuse. He was recalled and placed on the 15-day injured list on May 13 with a strained right shoulder, then walked eight in 8 2/3 innings over nine rehab appearances since June 25.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Kodai Senga, right, high-fives Luis Severino while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga, right, high-fives Luis Severino while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga gestures while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga gestures while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga (34) reacts as he leaves the field due to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga (34) reacts as he leaves the field due to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga grabs his leg as he reacts to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga grabs his leg as he reacts to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

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