Иммунитет юга Индии к религиозной риторике начинает разрушаться

T he politics of South India has large ly been impervious to overt religious and communal mobilisation. The most decisive historical explanation for the absence of major communal riots in the region lies in the absence of memory of partition-related violence. The social  fabric of the region has remained relativel y immune to polarisation, shaped instead  by strong linguistic (anti-Hindi) and cas te ( anti-Brahminical) identities. The politico-electoral appeal of communal mobilisatio n  has long been perceived as a phenomen on most effective in the Hindi heartland.  This has prompted observers to hypo­the sise that fervent ideological pitch deployed by the Hindu nationalist move ment and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJ P) might not render adequate political rewards. However, scholars (Raghavan and Manor 2018; Manor 2023; Jaffrelot  2007; Nair 1996; Mannathukkaren 202 4; Gudavarthy 2023) have noted that this “southern immunity” to communal rhetoric has begun to erode in recent years, coinciding with the BJP’s steady growth and consolidation in the region. Dear Reader, To continue reading, become a subscriber. Explore our attractive subscription offers. Click here Or To gain instant access to this article (download). Pay INR 59 (Readers in India) Pay $ 6 (Readers outside India)