In his book, Gujarat Under Modi: Laboratory of Today's India, Professor Jaffrelot shows how Gujarat, a state in western India where Prime Minister Modi started his political career, served as a laboratory to develop his political strategies of Hindu majoritarianism, national populism, and caste and class politics.
Professor Jaffrelot says, "India, over the last ten years, has changed more substantially than since Independence, and that is largely because of Narendra Modi."
He discusses the five pillars of Modi's politics which have been transferred from Gujarat and scaled up to the national level – communal polarisation, de-institutionalisation of the rule of law, crony capitalism, Moditva and support among upper castes and suppression of critics.
Watch the video