11 years of decay

Mr. Kapil Sabil, a stalwart, renowned Supreme Court lawyer and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, recently stated that India’s democratic fabric is upheld by five pillars: a transparent Election Commission, a free and fair press, politicians prioritising public interest, an impartial judiciary, and efficient bureaucrats. Each of these institutions ensures that democracy remains functional and responsive to its citizens. If these do not uphold, a nation can be considered an electoral autocracy, on the cusp of dictatorship or worse.

Under the Modi regime, all these pillars have weakened, pushing India away from its democratic ideals and towards what scholars call an “electoral autocracy.” The Election Commission, tasked with conducting fair elections, has faced accusations of partisanship, such as the suspicious scheduling of elections that benefited the ruling party during state elections, along with its silence on violations like hate speech during campaigns. The press, meant to be a watchdog of democracy, has been muzzled through systematic intimidation, over the year raids on independent outlets like Newsclick and The Wire, and the creation of a chilling environment where dissenting voices face lawsuits or sedition charges. India’s rank on the World Press Freedom Index has fallen from 133 in 2016 to 161 in 2023, reflecting this decline.

Politicians are expected to legislate and create policies for the people, but the focus has shifted to corporate interests and divisive politics. The disastrous implementation of demonetization in 2016 hurt millions of small businesses and daily wage earners while achieving none of its stated goals. Similarly, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) stoked communal tensions and alienated vulnerable communities, instead of addressing pressing socioeconomic issues. The farmers’ protests against the now-repealed farm laws further exposed the government’s disregard for marginalized groups, as laws favoring corporates were pushed through without adequate consultation. The judiciary, tasked with protecting constitutional rights, has increasingly been seen as compromised. Its reluctance to take up critical issues like the constitutional validity of CAA-NRC, flawed Agniveer scheme, and its selective prioritisation of cases have raised concerns about its independence. Mr. Umar Khalid is still in jail after 5 years while the court continues to turn and looks the other way. Hindu-Muslim debates on TV news channels continues to hide the even more hideous reality of caste system, with the recent remarks by the Home Minister on Dr. BR Ambedkar again bringing out the right wing, narrow and vitriolic mindset. The Pegasus spyware revelations, where activists, journalists, and even political rivals were allegedly under surveillance, highlight the undermining of privacy rights and misuse of state machinery.

The bureaucracy, expected to execute policies transparently, has instead been politicized and used as a tool of repression. During the farmers’ protests, bureaucrats enabled internet shutdowns, water supply cuts, and arrests of protestors, reflecting a state prioritising control over dialogue. The effects of these failures are evident in global indicators. India’s rank on the Henley Passport Index dropped from 80 in 2019 to 85 in 2023, reflecting weakened global standing. The rupee has depreciated to over ₹86 against the dollar, indicating poor economic management. According to the Henley Passport Index 2025, India’s passport ranking has declined from 80th to 85th position. On the Democracy Index, India has been downgraded to a “flawed democracy,” while the V-Dem Institute labeled it an “electoral autocracy,” highlighting how elections, though conducted, lack a level playing field due to the systemic undermining of institutions.

Comparing India’s GDP growth under Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh (2004–2014) and Narendra Modi (2014–present) reveals nuanced insights:

Average GDP Growth Rates:

• Manmohan Singh (2004–2014): During this period, India’s economy experienced an average GDP growth rate of approximately 7.7% year-on-year (YOY). 
• Narendra Modi (2014–present): Under Modi’s leadership, the average GDP growth rate has been around 6.8% YOY. 

Factors Influencing Growth:

• Domestic Policies: Initiatives like the 2016 demonetization and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) under Modi had short-term disruptive effects on the economy, influencing growth rates. 

Additional Economic Indicators:

• Unemployment: An internal government report indicated that in 2017, unemployment reached its highest level in 45 years, partly attributed to demonetization and GST implementation. 
• Income Inequality: There has been an increase in income inequality during Modi’s tenure, with the richest 1% of Indians now owning 40% of the country’s wealth. 

The voter is perplexed; in the last 11 years with no reliable source of information, constant whatsapp forwards that reduced the attention span and made it fall for misinformation, made it drink the opium of religion (with more orthodoxy becoming rampant in all religions; hate begets hate) and made it believe that India is progressing while decaying all institutions, it feels lost now. A lost cause. With the recent realities of disparity, unemployment and lack of growth of GDP finally dawning on the voter, it asks, sadly and with remorse, how will we ever recover from these last 11 years of decay?