Global Democracy Index: India Is a Flawed Democracy under PM Modi
The EIU Global Democracy Index has placed India in the category of flawed democracies, as Modi government has been blatantly attacking democratic institutions in the country.
By Rakesh Raman
As the deformation of the Indian democracy continues under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, the country has plummeted to 42nd position losing 10 notches on the latest Economist Intelligence Unit‘s (EIU) annual Global Democracy Index 2017.
The EIU Index has placed India in the category of flawed democracies, as Modi government – in its almost 4 years of rule – has been blatantly attacking democratic institutions in the country.
The Index has selected Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand, and Denmark as the top 5 democracies in the world while Syria and North Korea stay at the bottom.
The EIU report reveals that democracy is on the decline in counties all over the world, as media freedom is constantly being attacked by the despotic regimes that work under the garb of democracy.
[ Download the Consultative Paper: Need to Transform the Political System in India ]
According to EIU, freedom of expression in particular is facing new challenges from both state and non-state actors, and is a special focus of this year’s report.
The report reveals that media is partially free in India while the Modi government is tacitly supporting right-wing Hindu extremists who are spreading violence across the country with their attacks on minority communities – particularly Muslims.
The 2017 edition of the Democracy Index records the worst decline in global democracy in years. Freedom of expression is facing new challenges from both state and non-state actors, and is a special focus of this year’s report. Download now to learn more: https://t.co/op5DNjaJsB pic.twitter.com/E5lqq82aPr
— The Economist Intelligence Unit (@TheEIU) January 31, 2018
Recently, India also lost 3 notches to fall at No. 136 in the latest 2017 World Press Freedom Index. Published by Reporters Without Borders, the World Press Freedom Index ranks 180 countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. The report reveals that Modi’s nationalism is a threat to press freedom in India.
Under Modi government, the already deformed democracy in the country has become a plutocracy or perhaps kleptocracy (the rule by thieves) controlled by the corporate bigwigs who hobnob with Modi.
Meanwhile, a former minister in India and rebel BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has launched a new political outfit National Forum to expose the crime and corruption in the government headed by Modi.
Although it is positioned as a non-political group, it will campaign against Modi government with the aim to defeat Modi and his party BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Distressed politicians from BJP (including an actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha) as well as opposition parties have expressed willingness to join National Forum.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He also runs a free school for deserving children under his NGO – RMN Foundation.
Photo courtesy: Press Information Bureau
