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
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
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