The Narendra Modi government frequently posits India as a ‘Vishwaguru’ or world leader. How the world sees India is often lost in this branding exercise. Outside India, global voices are monitoring and critiquing human rights violations in India and the rise of Hindutva. We present here fortnightly highlights of what a range of actors – from UN experts and civil society groups to international media and parliamentarians of many countries – are saying about the state of India’s democracy.
These highlights focus on global reactions to India’s election results – including headlines from international media and statements from diaspora groups from around the world.
Read the fortnightly roundup for June 1-15, 2024.
International media reports
New York Times, US, June 4
NEEDING HELP TO STAY IN POWER, MODI LOSES HIS AURA OF INVINCIBILITY
The “unexpectedly sobering” result of the Indian elections shatters “the aura of invincibility around Narendra Modi”. Limits to his “political potency” likely by “coalition partners that don’t share his Hindu nationalist agenda”.
The Economist, UK, June 5
A SHOCK ELECTION RESULT IN INDIA HUMBLES NARENDRA MODI
“There is a danger that the disappointed leader may choose to double down on his more authoritarian tendencies and amplify his polarising religious rhetoric” but “the opposition parties have been given a new lease of life; and debate and dissent will be reinvigorated.”
Dawn, Pakistan, June 5
INDIA DEFEATS HATE, MODI LEFT AT MERCY OF MUSLIM-FRIENDLY ALLIES
“Pyrrhic victory” as India votes against “enthusiasm for Hindutva”. As Gandhi had said, “It was the poor masses who rose to the defence of India’s constitution.”
The Guardian, UK, June 5
THE GUARDIAN VIEW ON MODI’S ELECTION DISAPPOINTMENT: THE WINNER IS DEMOCRACY IN INDIA
“Rarely has an election victory looked more like defeat”. The editorial applauds “all those who have resisted Mr Modi’s encroachment on India’s institutions and democratic, secular traditions – courageous activists, journalists, lawyers and the voters themselves” and “given democracy a second chance.”
The Washington Post, US, June 5
A SETBACK FOR MODI IS A SILVER LINING FOR INDIA’S MUSLIMS
“It might be too early for Muslims and other minorities in India to foresee a drastically new future. But they know their active participation has made a difference, and now their despair is giving way to a sense of optimism and belonging.”
PBS News Hour, USA, June 5
MODI WINS 3RD TERM AS INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER, BUT PARTY LOSSES COULD AFFECT HOW HE GOVERNS
“A decade of Modi’s rule which was in part defined by violence on religious minorities and crackdown on civil society, the opposition and press freedom” reigned in. “The man who described himself as heaven sent now faces the ground reality of the voters.”
BBC, UK, June 5
WHY INDIA’S MODI FAILED TO WIN OUTRIGHT MAJORITY
“For many years after Independence the Congress ruled without a break” but election “has restored India to what many consider “normal politics”, with a range of parties sharing and competing for power”.
Gulf News, UAE, June 5
WINNER OF INDIA’S GENERAL ELECTIONS IS THE VOTER
“This time around Modi was the message and Modi was the medium but it didn’t quite work” because “the winner of India’s general elections ” was “the wise voter who prefers checks and balances of our Constitution and holds our democracy dear.”
The Conversation, Global, June 6
ONE ISSUE PROVED KEY TO THE OPPOSITION’S STUNNING SUCCESS IN INDIA’S ELECTION: CASTE POLITICS
The BJP’s attacks on the Opposition led to a “more united front” coalescing particularly around caste. Rahul Gandhi’s speeches “highlighted a commitment to protecting the Constitution”; Lalu Prasad Yadav warned that BJP intended to “change the Constitution to end caste-based affirmative action”; the Samajwadi Party “fashioned a new, broader caste coalition”; in Uttar Pradesh, “new Dalit political parties became increasingly prominent” and in Tamil Nadu they “consolidated”.
Bloomberg, USA, June 6
WHY INDIA’S POLITICAL RESET ISN’T A GROWTH KILLER
“In Modi’s India, workers lost more of their already-limited bargaining power. A handful of capital-guzzling conglomerates edged out millions of small firms, leading to a surge in income and wealth inequality to levels worse than under British Raj before 1947. Voters want a reset.”
The Economist, UK, June 6
NARENDRA MODI COULD RESPOND TO DISAPPOINTMENT IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS
In May during the election campaigning, Modi said “God has sent me for a purpose.” That purpose, it seems, was to provide a cautionary tale about overconfidence. While the BJP “prevailed”, it no longer has a “majority in its own right”, making Modi “beholden to his allies”. The “real test” will be how Modi responds to this changed scenario – he could become more moderate and focus on the economy, or double down on Hindu nationalism.
The Economist, UK, June 6
A TRIUMPH FOR INDIAN DEMOCRACY
The shock election result will change the country – ultimately for the better
“Mr Modi would have reigned supreme. Yet every Raj comes to an end.” The election result has somewhat derailed the “Modi project to renew India”. Can he now evolve “from a polarising strongman into a unifying consensus builder?” “Fortunately, if he fails, India’s democracy is more than capable of holding him to account.”
Bloomberg, USA, June 6
BILLIONAIRE-FRIENDLY MODI HUMBLED BY INDIANS WHO MAKE $4 A DAY
Indian voters are frustrated by an economic boom that has created a billionaire elite — and left 600 million residents behind.
“The collapse of Modi’s support in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most-populous state and a one-time BJP stronghold, amounted to a collective rebellion from millions of people left behind in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.”
Daily FT, Sri Lanka, June 6
LANKANS CAN TAKE HEART FROM INDIAN ELECTION RESULT
Indian voters have “rejected the politics of hate and division” like the “Rajapaksa brand of politics which brought Sinhala Buddhist supremacy to the fore and demonised ethnic and religious minorities” which is “a replica of what the Modi Government has been practising in India since taking power in 2014.” Clearly, “in a democracy no one is more powerful than the people”.
The Daily Star, Bangladesh, June 7
THE MAJESTY OF ‘PUBLIC WILL’ – REBIRTH OF THE INDIAN OPPOSITION
“When democracy is on the slide, for India’s election to have come through with credibility and overall acceptance is an achievement that must be praised and celebrated by democracy-loving people everywhere.” The revival of India’s Opposition is a reminder “for us in Bangladesh, as we have almost forgotten that the parliament is really where public representatives are supreme.” With resonance for Bangladesh, congratulations to Mamata Banerjee “for the way she single-handedly held back the Hindutva tide”. For sure, “religion-based election campaigning has its serious limits” and “it was the might of the verdict of the Indian voters that resonated throughout the world, the region and also, hopefully, within Bangladesh where our own voters aspire for the same power. “
VOX, USA, June 8
INDIA JUST SHOWED THE WORLD HOW TO FIGHT AN AUTHORITARIAN ON THE RISE
India’s election has “universal lessons for how to beat a would-be authoritarian”. These include that “entrenched reputations of populist leaders are not unshakeable” and “tactical innovation from the opposition matters even in an unfair electoral context.” With Modi’s power “constrained, perhaps mortally”, “Indian voters, like those in Brazil and Poland before them, have dealt a major blow to their homegrown authoritarian faction”.
India where recent actions against the opposition, journalists and minorities add to past imprisonment of “students, poets, lawyers and artists” and “kicking the shit out of protestors while forcing them to sing the national anthem” but “of course we can’t let the world see we’re turning India into a fascist ethnostate, so we got this free speech absolutist to censor evidence of it from his website (image of Elon Musk comes up) while our best friend bought out our media to keep India in the dark …Adani… Bringing the world together by screwing Indigenous people from India to Australia.”
Indian Elections: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, USA, June 2
“As the international community it seems past time to stop the uncritical fawning praise of a man who is to put it mildly a deeply complicated figure” and “when you talk about what he’s done for India, at least acknowledge that while yes, he’s responsible for giving bags of grain to people, he’s also responsible for some getting sent bulldozers” and “that many Indians live in active fear of what he seems more than happy to represent” and “I know that this episode is almost definitely not going to end up airing in India”. (It was not, till election results were announced.)
New York Times, USA, June 10
WHAT MODI’S DWINDLING SUPPORT SAYS ABOUT DEMOCRACY WORLDWIDE (an audio essay)
“This is a big year for democracy” with “dozens of elections” happening worldwide “at a time when there is a strong feeling that authoritarianism has really been on the march”. “I think the thing that I take away from this election is that you should never assume that the trend lines are going to stay the same. And you should also never assume that all is lost.”
Reactions of Indian diaspora groups/civil society groups
In its statement on the Indian Elections IAP writes “We call upon the opposition, whether they manage to cobble an unlikely, coalition and form a minority government or not, to use this momentum to continue its resistance to the Hindu–supremacist Hindutava project. We call for the release of all political prisoners and overturning of all legislations that interfere with citizenship, rights, or personal freedom of marriage and worship”.
Foundation, The London Story, EU
TLS tweets “The BJP’s coalition wins India’s elections – but barely”. They also say, “Indian voters have shown that beyond divisions, they care for development and peaceful co-existence”. In spite of this, India’s 2024 elections were “ripe with violations” of electoral laws and widespread hate speech and disinformation. Accountability is needed urgently.
Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR)
In its response to the Indian Election Results HfHR writes, “The INDIA Alliance’s strong showing, despite the government’s attack on political opposition, reinforces Indian voters’ commitment to democracy and pluralism, setting a global example of inclusive governance.” HfHR calls on the incoming government to “prioritise policies that protect civil liberties, promote economic equality, and ensure the inclusion of marginalised communities”.
Ria Chakrabarty, Senior Policy Director, HfHR USA
“For those of us in the diaspora, we can only be proud of the Indian people’s rejection of Islamophobia, casteism, and corruption and support Indians’ fight to preserve the Indian Republic. It is a reminder for all of us to fight hard for democracy, at home and abroad.”
Sunita Viswanath, Executive director and co-founder , HfHR
“As elections approach in the US, we must be cautious of the treacherous alignment of White nationalists, Zionists, and Hindu nationalists, which threatens democracy here. Indians have shown those of us in the diaspora what it means to be Hindu while rejecting Hindutva. Now, we can connect the Hindus in the West with the groundswell of Hindus in India who turned away from casteism and Islamophobia.”
Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle of Australia
In its media release Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle of Australia “congratulates the people of India, Rahul Gandhi, MK Stalin, and I.N.D.I.A Alliance leaders for their phenomenal performance”. The result is a “resounding affirmation of the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution” and “rejection” of the BJP’s “vision of transforming India into an ethno-nationalist Hindu supremacist state”.
Alliance Against Islamophobia, Australia
In a media release, Alliance Against Islamophobia congratulates the people of India for their “phenomenal victory against bigotry, hate and intolerance”. This came “against overwhelming odds, including the formidable resources of the Modi government, which were 100 times greater than those of any other party”. “Let this victory be a reminder at the spirit of democracy and the values of equality, justice, and fraternity will always prevail.”
The Humanism Project, Australia
In a statement the Humanism Project says, “We congratulate the people of India on the recent election results, which reaffirm their commitment to the constitutional principles of secularism and democracy”. The Humanism Project hopes that the new government “will be compelled to engage with a broader spectrum of the population before making key decisions” and urges the “timely release” of the many political prisoners incarcerated “without a fair trial”.
International Council of Indian Muslims
In a tweet, the ICIM said “for Indian Muslims, the election 2024 was democracy surviving an open-heart surgery. Only time will tell how much really changed. Time being, we congratulate the people for surviving and wish the society good health and peace.”
In a tweet, ILS said “As #IndianElections2024 happened & votes were counted, many labourers died. We consider all these deaths as institutional murders: from in the sewage system of capital Delhi to in factories in its satellite industrial townships, where boilers burst.
In a thread, InSAF India said, “As a ‘new’ coalition govt takes charge, we remain vigilant about the rapidly deteriorating public education system & widespread discrimination against Adivasis, Dalitbabujans & religious minorities. We remain hopeful of a resurgence in #academicfreedom, as dissenting voices continue to ring for political prisoners’ freedom & compensation for the years of unjust treatment”.
Statement by 20 diaspora organisations on the Indian election results and beyond
South Asia Solidarity Group, South Asia Justice Campaign, UK Indian Muslim Council,Strive UK, Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle of Australia ( PATCA), Unau Welfare International, Unau Welfare UK, Scottish Indians for Justice, Women Against Caste UK, Hindus for Human Rights UK, International Solidarity for Academic Freedom (InSAF), Alliance Against Islamophobia (Australia), Coalition Against Fascism in India (CAFI), Foundation, the London Story
“While we celebrate the possibility of the opening up of public space, freedom of speech, and an active Opposition, we are also aware and concerned that despite losing its majority, the BJP remains in power supported by its NDA allies… The signs of the shape of things to come are already ominous. On the day Modi was staking claim to form the NDA government, Hindutva lynch mobs were striking down cattle traders in Chhattisgarh…Since then, the sanction for prosecution of writer Arundhati Roy and Kashmiri academic Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for speeches made in 2010 further underlines the regime’s escalation of repression in response to electoral setback…If the events of the past days are any indication, a weakened but still in place Modi-Shah at the head of a BJP-led NDA government poses a serious threat to the future of India’s Constitution and to democracy and human and minority rights…The powerful people’s movements which have made possible the opposition’s encouraging gains, are likely to continue to hold opposition forces accountable, while remaining alert to the renewed offensive of the fascist forces which we will no doubt see unfolding in the coming months. We stand with them.”
Experts say
In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Human Rights Watch urged him and the new government to promote a human rights agenda and “advance the rule of law, and strengthen democratic institutions in India”. Elaine Pearson, Asia Director, explicitly mentions the key areas of human rights concerns and reiterates the need “to take concrete steps to defend fundamental civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.”
Responding to Narendra Modi’s swearing in for a third term and his stated promise to lead the country by consensus and upholding the constitution, Aakar Patel, Chair of Amnesty International India’s board, said: “Over the past 10 years, the government of Narendra Modi has repeatedly trampled on dissent and discriminated against religious minorities”. He points out that there is not “a single Muslim in his new cabinet” and cautions that “Modi’s new pledge of leading by consensus must not turn into yet another failed promise.” Amnesty International also presented its 6-point human rights Charter to the newly formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led Indian government.
Political scientist and a leading expert on India writes that this election “probably marks the end of a cycle” of the last 10 years of India’s “de-democratisation” to a “re-democratisation” process. “For the first time in his political career, Narendra Modi will have to play the coalition game”. Jafrrelot envisions that institutions may “regain some of their spine” along with the judiciary and media, and “federalism may be revitalised”. He writes that the Hindutva-brand of “identity politics may well be on the defensive now” countered by ideologies “prioritising social equality”. He suggests that with political actors, “civil society is also bound to play a key role again to counter the dense network of RSS-related vigilantes.”
Other than election-related news, highlights from experts include:
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Guernica 37 Chambers
Global journalism watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and lawyers from UK-based Guernica 37 Chambers recommended to US government departments to “adopt targeted sanctions” against four “high-ranking officers” of the Delhi police’s Special Cell (which investigates alleged terrorism offences) “for serious human rights violations of about “forty journalists who work or have worked with the independent media outlet NewsClick.” Célia Mercier, South Asia desk, Reporters Without Borders, stated “The actions of the Delhi Police Special Cell against NewsClick journalists represent one of the most blatant attacks on press freedom in India.” Toby Cadman, Barrister and Co-founder of Guernica 37 Chambers added, “The Delhi Police’s Special Cell seems to be one of the go-to bodies for the Indian government to target critics, including journalists”. This follows a similar request in March 2024 to the European Union.
Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders
Lawlor called for the immediate release of human rights defender Sunita Pottam in Chattisgarh after “hearing disturbing reports” of her arrest “seemingly as a result of her peaceful advocacy for the protection of #Adivasi rights and against systemic violations”.
National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, Canada
This Canadian parliamentary Committee issued a special report on “foreign interference in Canada’s democratic processes and institutions”. The report observes that after China, India has “emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes”, dislodging Russia. It noted that India’s interference “extended beyond countering what is perceived as pro-Khalistani efforts in Canada” to include “targeting of Canadian politicians”.
Read the previous roundup here
