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More warnings about the future of the country; looking at various media / religious persecution/ freedom indices, all I can say is that 2021 is the last chance India has to pull back from becoming a nightmare state. https://scroll.in/article/982977/ramachandra-guha-under-cover-of-covid-19-modi-regime-has-stepped-up-its-attack-on-indian-democracy
+ @Aakar__Patel on the illusion of the looming Hindu Rashtra: https://scroll.in/article/981190/aakar-patel-how-india-is-similar-to-and-different-from-its-theocratic-neighbours
+ Tanika Sarkar on love, faith and consent in the republic today: https://thewire.in/communalism/hindu-rashtra-love-faith-consent
+ The future for India's Muslims — alarming setbacks, and "India has become a dangerous and violent space for Muslim minorities": https://scroll.in/latest/981254/india-a-dangerous-violent-place-for-muslims-under-modi-government-says-minorities-report
+ And in a time of climate change challenges, the "developer" model severely dilutes environmental protections: https://scroll.in/article/982720/in-a-year-marked-by-extreme-weather-events-india-diluted-environmental-norms-and-pushed-coal
Also, a wide gap between what people on the ground — farmers, workers, threatened minorities — see as urgent issues and what the mainstream media covers.
2020 saw one of the world's largest ever general strikes — by 250 million people. https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/12/general-strike-india-modi-bjp-cpm-bihar
2020 saw one of the world's largest ever general strikes — by 250 million people. https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/12/general-strike-india-modi-bjp-cpm-bihar
+ If you track other democracies, you know that a surge in protests is a deeply worrying sign. It can lead to urgently needed change, or it can be the last warning cry before a country slides into authoritarianism. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2020-protests-caa-jnu-jamia-shaheen-bagh-7118839/
A personal note: I'm close to 50 years old, have always lived in India. This beloved country has weathered challenge after challenge in each decade, has kept a messy, imperfect but resilient democracy going.
For the first time, I'm unsure that our democracy will survive.
For the first time, I'm unsure that our democracy will survive.
+ The Constitution is not easily overturned. Modern India was founded on an agreement to at least try to treat all equally, to try to be a free country, to see one another as brothers and sisters, not hereditary enemies.
Reject the founding promises, and too much will crumble.
Reject the founding promises, and too much will crumble.
