Tag Archives: Narendra Modi

‘India Lurches Toward Full-Fledged Fascism’ as Modi Opens Contentious Hindu Temple

“The people of India have struggled for decades to secure a democracy that is secular, just, and equal. Modi must not be permitted to rob them of it now,” admonished Progressive International’s cabinet.

By Brett Wilkins. Published 1-22-2024 by Common Dreams

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the center of attention during the January 22, 2024 concescration of the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo: Narendra Modi/X)

The executive body of Progressive International warned Monday of the accelerating erosion of Indian democracy as right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially consecrated a highly controversial Hindu temple on the former site of a 16th-century Muslim mosque destroyed a generation ago by a Hindu nationalist mob.

Modi heralded the “advent of a new era” as he spoke outside Ram Mandir, a temple to the Hindu deity figure Ram—who epitomizes the triumph of good over evil—in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The small city of approximately 55,000 inhabitants is known for its religious diversity and long history of peaceful coexistence between Hindus and Muslims.

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‘Fox News Model’ Fomenting Divisions Within Democratic Societies, Global Watchdog Warns

“The ‘Fox News-ization’ of the media poses a fatal danger for democracies because it undermines the basis of civil harmony and tolerant public debate,” said the leader of Reporters Without Borders.

By Kenny Stancil   Published 5-3-2022 by Common Dreams

Members of Truth Tuesdays and Rise and Resist gathered at the first weekly “Fox Lies Democracy Dies” protest outside the NewsCorp Building in New York City on November 23, 2021. Photo: Diane Greene Lent/flickr/CC

A global press freedom watchdog group warned Tuesday in its annual report that media polarization within and between countries—driven by the rapid spread of right-wing disinformation on social media and the proliferation of pro-authoritarian propaganda—is “fueling increased tension” and escalating the likelihood of violence.

The 20th World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) assesses the state of journalism around the globe. The 2022 edition details the “disastrous effects of news and information chaos”—the product of “a globalized and unregulated online information space that encourages fake news and propaganda.” Continue reading

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‘Victory of Global Significance’: Modi to Repeal Laws That Sparked Year-Long Farmers’ Revolt

“After a year of strikes—and having faced brutal repression that claimed some 700 lives—India’s farmers are victorious in their struggle.”

By Kenny Stancil.  Published 11-19-2021 by Common Dreams.

Farmers in India have been organizing massive, sustained, historic protests against proposed neoliberal reforms. Photo: CAGJ

Workers’ rights activists around the globe rejoiced on Friday after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government will repeal three corporate-friendly agricultural laws that the nation’s farmers have steadfastly resisted for more than a year.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of over 40 farmers’ unions that led the protests, called the development a “historic victory” for those “who struggled resolutely, unitedly, continuously, and peacefully for one year so far in the historic farmers’ struggle,” India Today reported, citing a statement from SKM. Continue reading

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The far right’s rise within armed forces is a global threat to democracy

The suspected involvement of soldiers and police in the US Capitol riots echoes infiltration moves by extremists in Europe.

By Paul Rogers  Published 1-16-2021 by openDemocracy

The Capitol ambush was a low point for US democracy. Screenshot: CBS News

Earlier this month, the world was shocked by the Capitol rioters’ assault on US democracy. But more chilling still is that those who swore to protect the institutions of state may have been among the attackers.

One US army captain is under investigation for taking part in the 6 January rally that eventually led to the breach of the Capitol in Washington DC, while a former marine was reported to be among the mob that descended on the building. Two off-duty police officers have been charged in connection with the riots.

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In Shadow of Trump’s India Visit, New Delhi Sees Worst Attacks on Muslims in Decades

“That this recent burst of anti-Muslim violence comes during Trump’s visit to India is only proof of not only Trump’s own legitimizing power of violence against Muslims but also the Pavlovian fascist reactionism in India to a fascist like Trump.”

By for Common Dreams. Published 2-25-2020

A shop set on fire during clashes between a group of anti-CAA protestors and supporters of the new citizenship act, near Maujpur and Jaffrabad metro station on February 24, 2020 in New Delhi, India. (Photo: Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times)

As President Donald Trump left India Tuesday after a state visit to the world’s largest democracy that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing government signing a $3 billion arms deal with the U.S., attacks on Muslims in New Delhi that coincided with the trip killed at least 13 people in the worst violence in the city in at least two decades.

“Muslim friends in Delhi are contemplating leaving the city,  some are already leaving for fear of riots spreading across Delhi,” tweeted journalist Rana Ayyub. Continue reading

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‘Meant to Hide the Poor’: Trump Gets His Wall—In India—Ahead of Monday Visit

The newly-erected barrier will allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to offer a carefully-curated view for the U.S. president.

By Eoin Higgins, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 2-21-2020

U.S. President Donald Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two will meet in India on Monday. (Photo: White House/Flickr)

U.S. President Donald Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two will meet in India on Monday. (Photo: White House/Flickr)[/caption[

When President Donald Trump arrives in Ahmedabad, India on Monday, he’s expected to be greeted by roughly 100,000 cheering Indians along a sparkling clean route to the world’s largest cricket stadium where another crowd of 110,000 will attend a rally with the U.S. president and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It’s pure spectacle. Continue reading

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World’s Largest Strike? Tens of Millions in India Rise Up Against Right-Wing Economic Policies

Public sector workers across India went on strike to protest Prime Minister Modi’s push for privatization and demand higher wages

By Nika Knight, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 9-2-2016

Strikers in , India. Photo: Twitter

Strikers in Jadavpur, India. Photo: @RitabrataBanerj/Twitter

Tens of millions of public sector workers in India went on strike Friday to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for privatization and other right-wing economic policies.

“This strike is against the central government, this strike is for the cause of the working people,” said Ramen Pandey, of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, to Al Jazeera.  Continue reading

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The Kashmir Calamity

Kashmir region. Map by CIA (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Kashmir region. Map by CIA (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

While we’ve been distracted by the fighting in the Middle East, there’s been a resurgence of a conflict which may have more consequences worldwide than any Middle Eastern conflict would.

To understand what’s happening here, we need to go back to 1947. The British, after facing increasing nationalism and mutinies by their own soldiers, conceded that the British India Empire was a thing of the past. However, they also saw the need for a Muslim homeland, as there was a large Muslim population in the region, and tensions between the Hindus and Muslims were high.

The British proposed what was called the Mountbatten Plan, named after Louis Mountbatten, who was the last viceroy of British India. This plan divided British India into two parts; India and Pakistan. India was to hold the majority of the Hindus, and Pakistan to hold the majority of the Muslims. This was accepted by the Indian political leaders on June 2, 1947, and on August 14, Pakistan became a dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations, followed the next day by India becoming an independent country. Pakistan became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.

Where does Kashmir come into this? When the partition took place, the 562 princely states of British India were given the option to become part of India, part of Pakistan, or to become independent. Pakistan expected that Kashmir would join Pakistan, as most of its population was Muslim. However, the government of the state was ruled by a Hindu, the Maharaja Hari Singh. In October of 1947, Muslim revolutionaries from western Kashmir and Pakistani tribesmen united in an attempt to overthrow the Kashmir government, which led Singh to ask India to accept Kashmir as part of India. On October 27, 1947, Kashmir became an Indian state.

This led to the rebels and tribesmen furthering their push into Kashmir, and Singh asked the Indian government to intervene. Thus began the first Indo-Pakistan War. The conflict’s been going on ever since then, with some memorable spikes in the violence; three more wars between India and Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and again in 1999 (the country of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan, came about due to India’s intervention on the side of the Bangladesh nationalist forces in their struggle for independence in the 1971 war). In 1962, China and India had a short war, with China gaining control of the Aksai Chin region.

Which brings us to the present day. If it were just up to the two countries’ leaders, there probably wouldn’t be any problem and the whole Kashmir question would more than likely be put up for a vote by the citizens of Kashmir. Both Narendra Modi of India and Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan are hard line nationalists, but they also represent the conservative business class that recognizes the value of cordial relations between the two countries. It’s questionable how much they’d go against the wishes of their wealthiest supporters. But, there’s a third party in the ballgame; the Pakistani military. The Pakistani military isn’t interested in better relations with India; they see that as an end to the army’s elite status as saviors of the country and leading to possible reductions in its substantial economic power.

Arun Jaitley, the Indian Defense Minister, says the recent violence is caused by Pakistan’s attempts to “precipitate tension where none existed.”

“Pakistan in these attacks has clearly been the aggressor, but it must realize that our deterrence will be credible. If Pakistan persists with this adventurism, our forces will make the cost of this adventurism unaffordable.”

Pakistan for their part says they’re too busy fighting internal extremists to be involved with causing trouble along the Kashmir border. However, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the head of the Pakistan Peoples Party, said recently in a speech:  “I will take back Kashmir, all of it, and I will not leave behind a single inch of it because, like the other provinces, it belongs to Pakistan.”

As horrible as the situation is in Kashmir, it’s not as bad as it could be. You see, both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons. With the posturing and chest pounding happening on both sides, a “limited” nuclear exchange can’t be completely ruled out. However, it’s unlikely that any such exchange would be limited when all was said and done. Kashmir could be a bigger tinderbox than the Middle East ever dreamed of being.

 

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