Modi 2.0: An Ailing Democracy is Quarantined

The Narendra Modi-led BJP government celebrated the successful completion of the first year of Modi 2.0, the democracy, on the other side, has gone for a toss, critiques Joydev. An exclusive for Different Truths.

“We, the People of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens…” reads the opening line of Preamble of the India Constitution. A copy of this very Preamble was sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26th January this year with a piece of advice to read it when he “finds time”. This happened in the backdrop of nationwide protests against the new citizenship act brought in by the Bharatiya Janata Party amidst the weak, divided, and fumbling opposition’s concern. Students and other protestors were stifled by brutal beatings, sexual assault, torture, and tear gases.

Democracy – the essence of independent India, was wiped off from the scene a number of times including the incident when students protesting for their rights were sent to jail calling on sedition and there is no action against the MP from the ruling party, who from an open stage shouts ‘shoot the traitors’ during election rallies in Delhi. And traitors were no other than people protesting the government’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act. 

As the Narendra Modi-led BJP government celebrated the successful completion of the first year of Modi 2.0, the democracy, on the other side, has gone for a toss. To say precisely, it has been quarantined. Democracy – the essence of independent India, was wiped off from the scene a number of times including the incident when students protesting for their rights were sent to jail calling on sedition and there is no action against the MP from the ruling party, who from an open stage shouts ‘shoot the traitors’ during election rallies in Delhi. And traitors were no other than people protesting the government’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

In the same month, i.e., in January, the 12th edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index was released, in which India found itself 10 positions down from 2018’s Index. India ranked 51 in the EIU Index. India’s Democracy Index, which consistently recorded positive changes between 2008 and 2014, witnessed the second-highest decline in civil liberties in the last six years. Civil liberties are measured on the parameters like the freedom to press, an independent judiciary, freedom to protest, religious tolerance, unrestricted access to the internet, security, and equal treatment of all citizens.

The 12th edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index was released, in which India found itself 10 positions down from 2018’s Index. India ranked 51 in the EIU Index. India’s Democracy Index, which consistently recorded positive changes between 2008 and 2014, witnessed the second-highest decline in civil liberties in the last six years.

The Modi government has unknowingly scored another record of keeping the

highest number of people behind bars for political reasons last year. This has never happened since Indira Gandhi’s state of emergency in the mid-70s. The present case is worse than the emergency as even Indira Gandhi did not manage to silence an entire state, which Modi has done with Kashmir. Former CM of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, is now into her ninth month of confinement, while Omar Abdullah, another former CM was released from detention a couple of months ago. This happened when the Muslim-majority state was ripped off its semi-independent status last year, resulting in prolonged lockdown, the arrest of the leaders, and communication blockade in the state.

Apart from the CAA protest and Kashmir issue, the most attacked sector under the Modi government is media. ‘Criticising the government is not a crime’, this sentence has lost its importance in the Modi era. There have been a number of cases when journalists and even normal citizens had to face the wrath for criticising or questioning the government. A case was registered against a journalist last week in Madhya Pradesh for referring the prime minister as ‘gappu’.  A young photographer was threatened with arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Kashmir for a picture that she has posted on Instagram in 2018. A 66-year old lady from Andhra Pradesh was arrested for asking a series of embarrassing questions about the recent industrial gas leak in Visakhapatnam. These cases were intentionally filed to scare others into silence. The amended UAP Act has given the government the power to designate anyone as ‘terrorist’ without a trial.

A case was registered against a journalist last week in Madhya Pradesh for referring the prime minister as ‘gappu’.  A young photographer was threatened with arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Kashmir for a picture that she has posted on Instagram in 2018. A 66-year old lady from Andhra Pradesh was arrested for asking a series of embarrassing questions about the recent industrial gas leak in Visakhapatnam. These cases were intentionally filed to scare others into silence. The amended UAP Act has given the government the power to designate anyone as ‘terrorist’ without a trial.

The Indian Judiciary system is no exception to it. The latest example comes from the Gujarat High Court where the bench hearing the suo motu case on precautionary measures taken in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic was changed citing roster schedule. Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Pardiwala will now hear the case, which was earlier heard by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ilesh J. Vora. The bench headed by Pardiwala-Vora came harsh on the state government for not taking care of migrants and non-Covid patients in the hospital. This is not the only case in the Modi era where the judge or the bench was transferred. In another instance, Justice S Muralidhar was abruptly transferred from Delhi High Court to Punjab and Haryana High Court, while he was making critical observations on Delhi Police’s treatment to protestors and students and not filing FIR against hate speech propagators. Justice Akil Kureshi’s transfer from Madhya Pradesh to Tripura is another such example.

While powerful leaders across the globe are facing and briefing media almost on a daily basis during the pandemic, there has been no such press conference where the Prime Minister was present. He loves his 8 PM slot and speaks his heart out during his show ‘Man ki Baat’, which speaks only his ‘Man ki Baat’ and not citizen’s. His way of one way communication speaks less of democracy and has left least chance of interaction with citizens and media. Modi’s handling the crisis was disastrous as every other day TV news is filled with the plights of migrant workers across the country.

He loves his 8 PM slot and speaks his heart out during his show ‘Man ki Baat’, which speaks only his ‘Man ki Baat’ and not citizen’s. His way of one way communication speaks less of democracy and has left least chance of interaction with citizens and media. Modi’s handling the crisis was disastrous as every other day TV news is filled with the plights of migrant workers across the country.

Although there is a proverb, ‘change is the only constant’, there is one thing constant with the dear prime minister is that he never learns from his mistakes. As the virus takes more perilous shape in India, democracy is expected to be in quarantine for some more time. While most of the countries are still making plans to tackle the economy, India is happy with the ‘Loan Package’ of massive Rs. 20 lakh crore. No one dares to question the package because Democracy is in quarantine. I hope it gets well soon. Long Live Democracy!

Photo from the Internet