Accepted Paper
Paper short abstract
The paper tries to explore the shifting conceptualisation and reconstruction of the idea of solidarity and the new identity based agentive capacity among Muslim political consciousness in the aftermath of Anti CAA_NRC movement
Paper long abstract
In the aftermath of the decline of Mandal politics and the emergence of a third democratic upsurge, Muslim communities in India have experienced an acute sense of betrayal and marginalization at the hands of the so-called “secular forces.” The political transition from intersectional frameworks of representation to the consolidation of populist majoritarianism has resulted in systemic discrimination, particularly against Muslims, without meaningful safeguards from political actors who once promised protection and inclusion. This climate of exclusion has generated a growing sense of angst and political disillusionment, especially among Muslim youth, who have responded with sustained counter-mobilizations. The Anti-CAA-NRC protests marked a turning point in this trajectory, reviving fundamental questions of Muslim belonging, political agency, and the language of resistance in contemporary India.
The intensification of identity politics among Muslim youth and their resistance to cultural and political appropriation has also generated new questions regarding political solidarity. This paper examines these evolving discourses of solidarity through a qualitative study employing open-ended interviews and surveys. Focusing on a case study of Muslim students of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Aligarh Muslim University, the paper foregrounds the ideological and mobilizational practices that inform contemporary Muslim student politics.
By situating the post Anti CAA-NRC development, within broader debates on minority rights, nationalism, and political solidarity, this research contributes to ongoing efforts to understand how marginalized communities negotiate belonging, articulate agency, and reimagine resistance in a rapidly transforming political landscape.
Keywords: Muslim Youth, Student Organizations, Citizenship, Secularism, Identity, Solidarity
Rethinking activism and academia in the global South