Govt’s attack on media, civil society: India rated as an ‘electoral autocracy’ by global institute

Agencies
March 11, 2021

The world's largest democracy is actually an 'electoral autocracy', according to a report.

According to a report by Sweden-based institute Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), India is now among top 10 countries globally along with Brazil and Turkey where democracy has declined. 

In an electoral autocratic regime, "ruling governments first attack the media and civil society and polarise societies by disrespecting opponents and spreading false information," the report said.

Currently, countries moving toward autocratisation outnumber countries where democracy is advancing, it added.

V-Dem's report said that India's Liberal Democracy Index (LDI) "declined from 0.57 in 2010 to 0.34 in 2020, following the government led by Prime Minister Modi placing restrictions on multiple facets of democracy such as civil society and free speech."

According to the report, a "striking pattern" has emerged within (former) democracies. "After the attack on media and civil societies, there is disrespect for political opponents to feed polarisation while using the machinery of the government to spread disinformation. Finally, there is an attack on core democratic foundations: elections and formal institutions", it said.

In India, it is only after the election of the Bhartiya Janata Party and Narendra Modi in 2014 that reportedly led to India's 23-percentage point drop on the 0 to 1 LDI scale. 

It is under the regime of this government, the report finds, that the "diminishing of freedom of expression, the media, and civil society have gone the furthest" with censorship becoming a routine affair.

According to V-Dem's report, India is at the same level of autocraticity as Pakistan and is worse than Nepal and Bangladesh. The Modi-led government repeatedly used "laws on sedition, defamation and counterterrorism to silence critics," it added.

As for elections, "the overall freedom and fairness of elections also was hard hit, with the last elections held under Prime Minister Modi’s reign in 2019, precipitating a downgrading to an electoral autocracy," the report said.

The report also claims that the current government has stifled dissent in academia and opposition under the garb of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the government is repressing civil society organisations by controling which ones enter or exit the nation by using the Forign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA). On the other hand, it also alleges that civil society organisations that align themselves with Hindutva movement and ideology have gained more freedom.

Last week, a US 2021 Freedom House report downgraded India's status from "free" to "partly free." It cited India's "crackdown" on critics and its "ham-fisted" Covid-19 lockdown leading to "dangerous and unplanned displacement" of millions of migrant workers as the reasons for the slip in the country's status. The Indian government, however, strongly critiqued the report's claim, calling it 'misleading, incorrect and misplaced.'

Comments

Ramesh Mishra
 - 
Saturday, 20 Mar 2021

INDIA "ELECTORAL AUTOCRACY"
I am an Uttar Pradesh Non-Resident Indian ["UP NRI"] residing in Canada since 1975, I have studied, travelled and worked around the world for over 50 years. My comment is based on my learning and experience, present India is absolutely lawless, corruption, bribery and influence-peddling have irreparably damaged the country. I witnessed illiterates, uncivilised gangsters are chosen as IAS, IPS and PCS their sole purpose to join the public service to loot the innocent public and they inflict atrocities, crimes against humanity whoever they target. The Indian Leaders mostly believe in "Might is Right", Leaders dance around IAS, IPS and PCS like dancers and worship IAS, IPS and PCS as their Gods. The majority of Leaders put a large red spot on their head and fold their hands to fool the public. The Indian Leaders at every level lack leadership having no vision for the future. India has an honest world-class High Courts and the Supreme Court justice with genuine wisdom to protect the people of India, tragically the majority of the litigants are irreparably damaged by the Subordinate Court Justices who have no legal skill and no legal mind. Tragically I became the victim, IAS, IPS and PCS who inflicted atrocities on me and my family of Canada. I Prayed Modi, Yogi and several others for the protection of my life and property, all of which turned a blind eye to my genuine prayers. The Liberal Democracy of India is a facade to hoodwinked people. A big red spot on the head and folding hands is a false facade to cheat the public. In my opinion, the future of India is uncertain.
With gratitude
Ramesh Mishra
Canada

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 14,2024

bengaluru.jpg

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says at least five people, including a staff member, were killed and 22 others wounded after Israeli forces targeted a food distribution centre in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini in a statement on Wednesday said that the strike hit one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the eastern part of Rafah.

“Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” Lazzarini said.

“Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict," he continued.

He said the attack was carried out even though "the Israeli Army received the coordinates including of this facility yesterday."

Lazzarini further urged the protection of the UN, its staff, and its premises and called for an independent investigation.

Israel acknowledged an airstrike on a food aid distribution center in southern Gaza, which it claimed targeted and killed a high-ranking member of Hamas. 

Meanwhile, the statement by the UNRWA head added that since October 7, at least 165 team members have been killed while in the line of duty and more than 400 people sheltering in UN buildings also lost their lives due to Israel's attacks.

More than 150 of the agency’s facilities, including schools and shelters, have been hit in the war, with some destroyed, and UNRWA staff have reportedly been mistreated and humiliated while in Israeli detention centers, according to the UNRWA.

Six aid seekers killed in Israeli attack

Separately, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said six people were killed in the latest attack on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City.

The Wafa news agency said some 83 people who were wounded in the attack have been transferred to the al-Shifa Medical Complex in the city.

Over the past weeks, Israeli forces have increased their offensives on the Kuwait Roundabout, an area where large groups gather to wait for aid deliveries.

Israeli forces killed 11 people waiting for food aid at the roundabout on Monday night.

The Israeli military has restricted the delivery of humanitarian supplies to northern Gaza for weeks, and thousands of children are going without sufficient food and medication.

The prevention of aid convoys comes as humanitarian officials have already issued a dire warning, stating that unless a ceasefire is implemented and aid is significantly increased, the toll of malnutrition and disease is expected to rise, leading to an alarming loss of lives.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,024 others.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 21,2024

modiwhatsapp.jpg

New Delhi, Mar 21: Election Commission (EC) on Thursday directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of Narendra Modi-led government to put an end to bulk WhatsApp messages labelled 'Viksit Bharat Sampark.' It has also sought a compliance report immediately from the ministry.

EC had received several complaints that such messages are still being delivered on citizens’ phones despite the announcement of Lok Sabha elections and the model code of conduct (MCC) entering into force.

In response, the govt informed the commission that although the letters were sent out before MCC came into force, some of them could have possibly been delivered to recipients with a delay because of systemic and network limitations.

In the past few days, several WhatsApp users have received messages from 'Viksit Bharat Sampark' seeking feedback and suggestions from the public. 

The message comes with a PDF that has a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Matru Vandana Yojana, etc, and seeking suggestions from the citizens over government initiatives and schemes.

The letter which addresses users as 'my dear family members' had sparked political controversy. Congress has called the PDF file attached with the message a ‘political propaganda’.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 14,2024

kovindpanel.jpg

The high-level committee on simultaneous elections, chaired by Ram Nath Kovind, on Thursday met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted its report on 'One Nation, One Election'. The report comprises 18,626 pages.

Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at Rashtrapati Bhawan when Kovind led panel submitted the report.

"Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be held in first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days in second step," reported PTI quoting the panel.

"Synchronised polls for all three tiers of government to improve governance architecture, in line with quest of aspirational India," it added.

The report has been submitted 191 days after the constitution of the panel on September 2, 2023.

It's further reported that the proposal also puts focus on having a singular electoral roll for holding Lok Sabha, state assembly and local body polls.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.