Polling booth in India. Photo Shutterstock Text Youssef el Khattabi
WUR is incredibly diverse, with hundreds of internationals working and studying here. In the Meanwhile in column, we ask one of them to comment on certain events in their home country. This time, we hear from Communication, Health and Life Sciences MSc student Ananya Doraswamy (32) from Bangalore, India, with her insights on India’s elections.
Doraswamy: ‘I should preface this by saying that India is huge — the most populous democracy in the world — with a very complex social structure. Every community has its own dynamics so it’s hard to generalize about anything. Also, with over a billion people, this election is an incredible administrative feat.
‘I consider this election year crucial as under the current government, which has been in power for two terms now, we’re seeing the pillars of democracy being gradually undermined. As a communications student, it’s the freedom of the press that worries me the most. We dropped 21 places in the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index in 2023. The PM hasn’t called a press conference with the Indian media since 2014. The fact that I’m apprehensive about voicing an opinion on the political state of things is worrying.
‘The strong religious tone in the campaigning also stands out to me. India has always been a secular nation. All religions are equal by law and let’s hope the divisive campaigning doesn’t translate into policy changes. The right-wing party BJP and the centre-left INC are key in India’s multiparty system. Both engage in ‘vote-bank’ politics, where a loyal bloc of voters from a single community consistently back a certain candidate or party.
‘I try and stay informed by following independent Indian journalists online and also The Guardian. I think international reporting on Indian politics often lacks nuances.’I try and stay informed by following independent Indian journalists online and also The Guardian. I think international reporting on Indian politics often lacks nuances.
‘As a student of social sciences here, I’m encouraged to think critically about events. The insidiousness of colonialism, and its drain on resources and people has become clearer to me. India was colonized for nearly a century and despite that, we’ve come so far. I hope we continue to progress rather than lose ourselves in religious conflicts. Most people just want a peaceful life, and I hope that vision prevails.’
General elections were held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024
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