Institutional Instrumentalization and Democratic Backsliding in India under the Rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

India, long celebrated as the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy, is witnessing a troubling

erosion of its democratic foundations under the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This paper

critically examines the extent to which the BJP has engaged in institutional instrumentalization—

strategically leveraging state institutions to consolidate power and undermine core democratic norms

and principles. Central to this analysis is the BJP’s manipulation of institutional frameworks to serve

partisan interests. Tactics include the appointment of ideologically aligned judges to the judiciary, the

suppression of dissent through media control and censorship, and the centralization of authority to

reshape state institutions. The paper explores how these mechanisms have enabled the BJP to

dominate public discourse, particularly through its command of social media and narrative framing

around key national issues. Further, the study investigates the BJP’s influence over civil society, the

bureaucracy, and political opposition, revealing a pattern of democratic backsliding marked by the

erosion of civil rights, the weakening of civil liberties, and the rise of authoritarian tendencies. The

party’s embrace of religious nationalism—often framed as a matter of national security—has

contributed to growing intolerance, with freedom of speech, press freedom, human rights, and

minority protections increasingly under threat. In conclusion, this paper reflects on the long-term

implications of these developments for the future of Indian democracy, raising urgent questions about

the resilience of democratic institutions in the face of majoritarian rule and ideological consolidation.