ABSTRACT
A democratically strong and economically vibrant India is more likely to promote prosperity in South Asia but that in turn will depend on the extent to which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its pro-Hindutva yet pragmatic Prime Minister Modi eschew extremism. The BJP, however, is a political party and needs to maintain public support and govern in a manner that improves the country's economic prospects. The two BJP-led governments that ruled from 1998 to 2004 placed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda on the backburner while it sought to strengthen the country's security and improve its economy, although it was during its tenure that the infamous 2002 Gujarat pogrom that killed nearly 2,000 Muslims took place. Sri Lanka and India are also prominent examples of how religion has been manipulated to fan nationalism and persecute minorities, especially Muslims and Christians.
