Democracy is dying in India, and Trump shouldn’t be on Modi’s side – By Akanksha Singh
For decades following World War II, the free world has looked to the United States for democratic and civil guidance. So, when President Trump wrapped up his two-day visit to India in February and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s “religious freedom” following Hindu-Muslim riots in parts of the capital, it didn’t just feel like Indian democracy was crumbling further; it felt as though it had got the go ahead from a global superpower.…
In reality, this religious freedom is under considerable threat, particularly for Muslims.… So far, 52 people have died and more than 500 have been injured. The riots have also been accompanied by arson, stone-pelting, and larceny. The last time the city saw religious violence on this scale was during anti-Sikh riots in 1984, which followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.
This recent violence isn’t just an isolated incident. It’s part of a disturbing trend in Modi’s India. Since the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came into power 2014, there has been a rise in violent crimes against minorities.… Modi was, after all, the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat when Hindu-Muslim riots broke out under his watch in 2002. More than 1,000 people perished in those riots, most of whom were Muslim. The US State Department denied Modi a visa in 2005 over the issue. He has never apologized over what happened in Gujarat to date.…
SEE ALSO
Why are Amit Shah and Adityanath not being blamed for the Delhi carnage? – By Ayush Tiwari (Mar 13, 2020, News Laundry)
Delhi Violence: Reality Check Punches Holes in Amit Shah’s Claims in Lok Sabha – By Tarique Anwar (Mar 15, 2020, News Click)
How Hindu nationalists built on the roots of majoritarianism in India and normalised public violence – By Thomas Blom Hansen (Mar 14, 2020, Scroll.in)
Fix Blame on the Neros Who Fiddled While Delhi Burnt – By Rajeev Dhavan (Mar 10, 2020, The Wire)https://thewire.in/government/inquiry-delhi-riots-neros
