Is the nationalist strain of President Donald Trump unique to the United States?
No, says Amitabh Pal, who is writing a book comparing right-wing populisms in the U.S. and in India. In fact, there are parallels between the nationalistic leadership of President Donald Trump and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Pal, both leaders use religion to further the majoritarian agenda—which is largely defined by the Christian religion in the U.S., and almost completely defined by the Hindu religion in India. And they both have supporters who believe they will clean up a corrupted political system.
In this hour, guest host Gil Halsted sits down with Pal to discuss the rise of Hindu nationalism, the dynamics of the upcoming election in India, and how those topics connect to a recent suicide bombing in Pulwama that has intensified tensions between India and Pakistan.
Amitabh Pal is the Communications Director at the Freedom From Religious Foundation, and the former Managing Editor of The Progressive magazine. Stay tuned for his book on the global rise of right-wing populisms in the United States and India.