Struggling freedom

 India and in particular the BJP-led NDA should be concerned about this year’s Freedom House report that downgraded the country from ‘free’ to the ‘partially free’ category giving it ‘global freedom score’ of 67/100 after judging it on various political rights and civil liberties. The report noted a “multiyear pattern” as it attributed the downgrade – from a score of 71 in 2019 and 75 in 2018 to 67 in 2020 – to “rising violence and discriminatory policies affecting the Muslim population” and “crackdown on expressions of dissent by the media, academics, civil society groups, and protesters” under the Narendra Modi government. India’s ‘freedom score’ was 77 in 2018, 75 in 2019, 71 in 2020 and it is 67 now. The report appears to have been important enough to be quoted by America’s Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken the day it was released. India was among 73 nations downgraded for declines in political rights and civil liberties, affecting three-fourths of the world’s population. Those affected included not just authoritarian states like China, Belarus, and Venezuela, but also troubled democracies like the U.S. and India. The changes in India since Modi took charge in 2014 “form part of a broader shift in the international balance between democracy and authoritarianism, with those in power “enjoying impunity for their abuses and seizing new opportunities to consolidate power or crush dissent,” the report said. Expectedly, the Ministry of External Affairs strongly rejected the report, with the official spokesperson stating, “The political judgement of Freedom House is as inaccurate and distorted as their maps.” The spokesperson rightly stressed that “India has robust institutions and well-established democratic practices. We do not need sermons, especially from those who cannot get their basics right.” The Editors Guild of India, which includes India’s most respected journalists said the report came at a time when “various press freedom and democracy indices in India, are already showing a rapid slide.” According to the Editors Guild, the report “illustrates the government’s increasingly draconian attitude against any critique and inquiry by the press.” Journalists critical of policies find themselves on the wrong side of the government. Even in the recent toolkits case, climate activist Disha Ravi was hauled up on charges of sedition on February 14,2021 for creating and editing the toolkit shared with Swedish climate activist Great Thunberg supporting the farmers’ protest in the outskirts of Delhi against the three contentious Farm Laws 2020. A toolkit is a document key to digital-era protests and is equivalent to pamphlets and fliers that are used by the protestors on the streets. Delhi Additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana, however granted bail to Disha Ravi by citing the distinction between sedition and dissent and questioned if Ravi and others were being targeted because they voiced opposition to the farm laws. Rana further reiterated that citizens are the conscience keepers of any democratic nation and cannot be charged with sedition and jailed just because they disagree with State policies. Today, to cover up anti-minority and communalism, those in power have changed the narrative to nationalism versus secularism. Journalists in print and electronic media, economists and scientists who dare differ are sidelined or harassed and officials who maintain a stand are shunted out. The happenings and the report should make Indians ponder they celebrate 75 years of freedom on August 15,2023.