Expectedly, the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry has rubbished the findings of The Freedom House report which downgraded India’s status as a democratic nation from ‘free’ to ‘partly free’ as “misleading, incorrect and misplaced.” As an explanation, the Ministry has said that the ‘allegation’ is far from true as many states in India are being ruled by parties other than the one ruling at the Centre and they have assumed power via election processes conducted by an independent election body. “This reflects the working of a vibrant democracy which gives space to those who hold varying views,” the explanation added. While there may be debate over the counter-claim, the report, technically, has taken into account the most recent incidents and it’s prepared based on them. These are accounted facts and can hardly be refuted and as such the angst is unjustified and an attempt, if any, to search for international conspiracies for ridiculing India will be childish. Even though all light has now fallen on this particular report, India’s ranking in the 2020 Democracy Index too that came in the first week of February this year slipped two places down. Revelations coming through these reports from the reputed global watchdogs of democracy have been credible as of now and it’s better to dive deep for an honest introspection, if there lies any true intention in making good the lost honour. The world is a global village, it is said and criticisms ought to be taken sportingly.
The annual report prepared by The Freedom House has been categorical enough to explain the causes for this downgrade. It has said that the world’s largest democracy is descending into authoritarianism and has pointed out the incidents of mob violence against Muslims in the riots in Delhi, rampant use of sedition laws against critics and ‘mishandling’ of migrants during lockdown(s). These are all documented facts and the press across India and the world have given elaborate narrations of the same. A host of parameters based on which the report has been based can be found and no one can question their relevancies in assessing the qualitative aspects of a democracy. While the country’s press, by and large continues to refrain from throwing the desired light on how the Lokpals formed under Lokayuktas Act, 2014 as independent national and state bodies tasked with receiving complaints of corruption against public servants or politicians are currently functioning, the report has observed that they are slow in operations. There are also serious charges in the report regarding crackdown of the internet and that the queries of requesters seeking information through the RTI Act going largely unanswered.
The essence of the report, a comprehensive one both in terms of depth and the far-reaching relevance of yardsticks it chose, is that democracy is not well in India. It will be wise to seek the reasons rather than venting anger. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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