Peace of Mind: Examining Election-Induced Anxiety among Minorities in India

Abstract

We examine if the national elections held in India differentially affected minorities after the ruling party’s landslide victory in 2019. Employing a measure of anxiety and nationally representative survey data, we find a significant increase in anxiety among minorities, particularly within the Muslim community. Moreover, our results uncover significant heterogeneity in the main effect, with a more pronounced impact in districts characterized by high electoral competitiveness. We establish the credibility of our research design through a battery of empirical tests.