India’s democracy under strain ahead of elections: FT
New Delhi: As India heads towards general elections, scrutiny over the nation’s democratic integrity intensifies. A widening gap between pro-democratic rhetoric and on-the-ground realities has come under the spotlight, as outlined in a recent editorial by the Financial Times.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the editorial, titled “‘Mother of democracy’ is not in good shape,” draws the part ‘Mother of democracy’ from statements frequently made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stands accused of curbing free expression and stifling opposition voices, particularly since its reelection in 2014. Critics have faced intimidation from tax and legal authorities, while the BJP’s Hindutva agenda has eroded India’s secular democratic fabric, the report underscores.
“What is particularly concerning now is a noticeable escalation in the utilization of state enforcement agencies to quash opposition parties and politicians in the run-up to the election,” notes the FT report. A notable instance cited is the recent arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi and a prominent opposition figure. Kejriwal’s detention on corruption charges, vehemently contested by his party as politically motivated, illustrates this trend.
Senior officials of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), governing Delhi and Punjab, have similarly faced arrest. Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress (INC), the primary opposition party, alleges that its bank accounts have been frozen amid a tax dispute, impeding its campaign efforts.
“Modi and his supporters seem to have yielded to the same aspiration for absolute political supremacy as ‘strongman’ leaders elsewhere,” asserts The Financial Times.
“Western democracies have often been reticent in critiquing democratic regressions in their bid to court India. However, there are signs of a shift. Following New Delhi’s objections to Washington’s critique of Kejriwal’s arrest, the US reiterated its apprehensions. Other democratic nations should adopt a similarly robust stance,” underscores the FT report.
Opposition figures accuse Modi of leveraging state agencies to suppress dissent and manipulate the election outcome. The crackdown on opposition dissent raises serious apprehensions regarding the fairness of the impending election.
Western democracies, including the US and the UK, have voiced concerns over India’s democratic regression. The US reiterated its reservations after New Delhi protested against Washington’s condemnation of Kejriwal’s arrest.
