I liked this a lot, Shikha! Thanks for doing it and highlighting the thoughts and works of one of the bravest journalists India currently has. The fact that he is still reporting along with a few others - despite the dangers - gives me hope.
I particularly liked the important distinction drawn between being a democracy and a liberal republic. People run around confusing the two and forget all too easily that BJP/Modi and his band are an elected bunch and still have people's vote.
And therein lies the challenge, the conundrum and hopefully the solution. At some level it's really important to understand why people vote(d) for the BJP (despite/because of their anti-secular stance) before we can address it. It's not helpful to brand a whole country anti-secular, fanatical, intolerant (and not what you/Siddharth are doing here) but to tease apart the varied reasons for such a vote. I suspect a vast majority is/was willing to turning a blind eye to the BJP's illiberal agenda in return for economic growth, better governance vs. being committed to intolerance themselves. Not that we should not criticize this approach but just that people and voters are complex.
Thankfully, the fact that the BJP has been unable to deliver on its growth agenda and is so radically intolerant of any dissent, and is losing ground because of that gives me some optimism. BUT it also raises the horrible spectre of a future where a populist dictator comes along and is able to deliver on growth while oppressing/ suppressing dissent and minority groups. The two can co-exist and that would be much harder to overcome. Don't have answers except to keep up the good fight like you're doing! Thanks.
I liked this a lot, Shikha! Thanks for doing it and highlighting the thoughts and works of one of the bravest journalists India currently has. The fact that he is still reporting along with a few others - despite the dangers - gives me hope.
I particularly liked the important distinction drawn between being a democracy and a liberal republic. People run around confusing the two and forget all too easily that BJP/Modi and his band are an elected bunch and still have people's vote.
And therein lies the challenge, the conundrum and hopefully the solution. At some level it's really important to understand why people vote(d) for the BJP (despite/because of their anti-secular stance) before we can address it. It's not helpful to brand a whole country anti-secular, fanatical, intolerant (and not what you/Siddharth are doing here) but to tease apart the varied reasons for such a vote. I suspect a vast majority is/was willing to turning a blind eye to the BJP's illiberal agenda in return for economic growth, better governance vs. being committed to intolerance themselves. Not that we should not criticize this approach but just that people and voters are complex.
Thankfully, the fact that the BJP has been unable to deliver on its growth agenda and is so radically intolerant of any dissent, and is losing ground because of that gives me some optimism. BUT it also raises the horrible spectre of a future where a populist dictator comes along and is able to deliver on growth while oppressing/ suppressing dissent and minority groups. The two can co-exist and that would be much harder to overcome. Don't have answers except to keep up the good fight like you're doing! Thanks.