Hafeez Ahmed Khan
India, the world’s largest democracy, has been facing a range of significant challenges to its democratic institutions and processes. These challenges have been multi-faceted and have included the rise of religious fundamentalism and intolerance, the suppression of opposition parties, civil society groups, and the media, control of the judiciary and civil services by the government, and the growing divide between North and South India. Together, these challenges have raised serious concerns about the future of India’s democracy and the ability of the country to uphold the principles of inclusivity, freedom, and equality.
One of the most prominent challenges to India’s democracy has been the rise of religious fundamentalism and intolerance. The ruling party, BJP, and its affiliates have been accused of promoting Hindutva, a right-wing ideology that seeks to establish India as a Hindu Rashtra or a Hindu state. This has led to increased hostility towards religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, who have been subjected to various forms of discrimination, harassment, and violence. In recent years, there have been several incidents of mob violence, lynching, and hate crimes against religious minorities, and the government’s response to these incidents has been criticized for being inadequate.
The suppression of opposition parties, civil society groups, and the media is another significant challenge to India’s democracy. The government has been accused of using its power to harass, intimidate, and silence those who criticize its policies or question its authority. The Indian National Congress, the largest opposition party, has faced obstacles in its election campaign, including frozen bank accounts and fines by the income tax department. Similarly, media outlets critical of the government have been labelled as “anti-national” and “traitors” and have faced harassment and legal action. The government has also been accused of using agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target opposition politicians and their families.
The control of the judiciary and civil services by the government is another significant challenge to India’s democracy. The independence of the judiciary is critical to the functioning of a democracy, but the government has been accused of influencing the appointment of judges and interfering in the functioning of the judiciary. Similarly, there are concerns about the independence of the civil services, which have also come under government control, and their ability to function independently and serve the people of India.
The growing divide between North and South India is yet another significant challenge to India’s democracy. Southern states of India, which are not ruled by the BJP, are much more advanced in education, healthcare, and technology but are being sidelined and declined proper share in revenue by the central government of India. This has led to a growing sense of resentment and frustration among the people of southern India, who feel that their voices are not being heard and their needs are not being addressed by the central government.
Therefore, India’s democracy is facing serious challenges that threaten its very foundation and ability to uphold the principles of inclusivity, freedom, and equality. Addressing these challenges will require a concerted effort by all stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and the people of India. It will be crucial to ensure that India remains a vibrant and thriving democracy that is able to meet the needs of all its citizens regardless of their background or beliefs.
On March 22nd, 2024, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was arrested on charges of fraudulent excise policy by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This was a significant development because he was the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested ahead of a general election in India. The arrest sparked protests and criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups, and the media.
The Indian National Congress, the largest opposition party, also faced obstacles in its election campaign as its bank accounts were frozen, and it was fined by the income tax department. This was seen as an attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of the general election. There were also reports of opposition party candidates being harassed by ED, which raised concerns about the fairness of the election.
These trends suggest a decline in Indian democracy and fear from the Opposition Party Alliance INDIA. Since the arrival of PM Modi in Delhi, India is no longer a liberal and secular democracy. PM Modi and his political party BJP operate on the ideology of Hindutva, which seeks to establish India as a Hindu Rashtra or a Hindu state. The BJP’s Hindutva ideology has been criticized by opposition parties, civil society groups, and the media for being divisive and exclusionary.
The V-Dem report finds that India is no longer a liberal democracy under PM Modi and has been placed as an “electoral autocracy”. Other major international-ranking outlets have also drawn the same conclusion about the Indian state of democracy. Indian media has become the mouthpiece of PM Modi and the BJP party, breaking the idea of inclusive India and polarizing Indian politics and society. This has resulted in what is known as “Godi Media,” or media that is partisan and uncritical of the government.
Indian civil services and lower judiciary are also under tight control of PM Modi. The Indian Election Commission, which is supposed to be independent, now has members appointed by Modi and Shah. All of these trends indicate that Modi has become a civilian dictator of India who wants to control everything within India.
Additionally, Kashmir and Manipur have faced gross human rights violations and ethnic violence, respectively, during Modi’s tenure. The divide between North and South India has also grown, with southern states being sidelined and receiving less revenue from the central government. All of the above arguments depict that all is not well in India, and India has embarked on the trajectory of Hindu Rashtra, which has far-reaching grim consequences for Indian minorities, opposition, politics, civil society, region, and beyond.
In conclusion, the current state of India’s democracy is a cause for concern for many Indians and the international community. The trend towards a Hindu Rashtra and the suppression of opposition parties, civil society groups, and the media has raised questions about the future of India’s democracy. The upcoming general election in India will be closely watched by many to see whether India remains a democracy or takes a turn towards authoritarianism.
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