Decay of Democracy Under Modi in India
December 15, 2024 Off By Sharp MediaUnder Modi’s regime, India’s democracy crumbles as authoritarianism takes root. From silencing dissent to targeting minorities, the Hindutva agenda threatens freedoms and global peace.
The Modi regime’s undemocratic policies have unmasked the true face of India, a country once celebrated as the world’s largest democracy. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule since 2014, India is alarmingly sliding toward authoritarianism, as political rights and civil liberties have significantly eroded.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has weaponized its policies against Muslims and other minority groups, deepening the cracks in India’s democratic foundation. Anti-Muslim legislation, coupled with the misuse of sedition laws to suppress dissent, highlights a grim reality—the systematic dismantling of civil rights. These actions not only target individuals but attack the very essence of democracy itself.
Censorship of the press and the silencing of civil society organizations are blatant signs of rising authoritarianism. Journalists and activists who dare to criticize the government face harassment, imprisonment, or worse. The judiciary, once a beacon of justice, has been reduced to a rubber stamp for the ruling Hindutva agenda. Independence in India’s democratic institutions has been replaced by blind allegiance to the BJP’s divisive ideology.
The Modi regime’s authoritarian tendencies extend far beyond India’s borders, most glaringly in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. By denying Kashmiris their fundamental right to self-determination, India showcases itself as a hollow democracy. The region has become a testing ground for the Modi government’s oppressive measures, marked by military sieges, property demolitions, and suppression of dissent.
This erosion of democratic values has not gone unnoticed by global watchdogs. Prestigious organizations like Freedom House and V-Dem have empirically documented India’s decline from a free democracy to an authoritarian regime. The Modi government’s systematic targeting of human rights activists, opposition leaders, and non-conforming organizations reveals its fear of accountability and truth.
The Hindutva-driven administration is not merely a national issue—it is a global concern. Modi’s repressive regime poses a threat to democracy, peace, and humanity itself. The world must recognize and confront this rising authoritarianism. Turning a blind eye only emboldens such fascist tendencies and paves the way for further suppression of rights and freedoms.
India’s transformation under Modi is a cautionary tale of how democracies can decay from within. The international community must act decisively, not only to safeguard the rights of Indian minorities but also to preserve the democratic ideals that underpin global stability.