Persecution under Modi

Authoritarian leaders around the world seem to have a universal playbook when it comes to dealing with dissent. India, which was in the news last week for all the wrong reasons – such as arresting and interrogating several critical journalists – has once again shown that it does not believe in free speech. Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize winner and one of the bravest voices for justice in the South Asian region, has been charged for a speech about Kashmir she made back in 2010. The move has been condemned by people from literary circles, progressive movements and left-wing activists across the globe. Some would have thought that Roy is too big a name for India to use its bullying tactics to suppress her voice, but the Indian government feels empowered enough to target anyone it sees as a threat to its fascist tendencies. Roy is also no stranger to such fascism; she has actively spoken for the rights of the marginalized and faced severe backlash for her views.

While voices of dissent, regardless of where they live, hardly find a safe, breathing space for themselves, India’s onslaught against critical voices should be seen as a warning sign by those who care about protecting free speech. The fact that an old case was reignited points to one thing: Indian authorities are afraid of Roy’s timely takes on the ongoing situation in India and around the world. India has under Modi flexed its intolerance almost as a virtue. Another recent example of the open display of threats of violence and hegemony are the remarks by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath where he indirectly suggested an attack in Pakistan, claiming that [Indians] were capable of “taking back Sindhu” (now in Pakistan). This is not the first time an Indian Hindu leader from the ruling party has made such remarks. But this time, the target is not the country’s already marginalized Muslim community, but a sovereign and independent state. Ever since Modi came to power in 2014, India has become a breeding ground for an extremist ideology, with elected public office-holders having no qualms about openly targeting other religions and countries. BJP leaders want to turn one of the world’s largest democracies into an exclusive state for Hindus. All the democratic credentials of India have been abandoned. Like a ball of yarn that cannot get back to its original shape once the thread is pulled, India’s democratic and secular credentials will remain compromised for years to come. While we should say that we hope sanity will prevail in India and that a frivolous case will be set aside, what can one expect from a brutal state which is afraid of its brave voice?