Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed India as the mother of democracy on the eve of the G7 summit on June 26, 2022, the government’s attack on civil society has reached its zenith. That the Indian state is deeply suspicious of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society leaders was evident even from the 73rd graduation ceremony of the Indian Police Academy in November 2021. National Security Advisor and the Prime Minister’s close aide Ajit Doval had warned budding police officers that civil society was the new frontier of war.
The failure to protect minority rights could have grave consequences in a majoritarian political dispensation. Even though it is well known that neighbouring Pakistan’s majoritarianism led to its dismemberment, the Indian state is pursuing a similar course.
The Constitution and law sought to protect minority communities and mandated equal rights and protection from the state to persons of all faiths and identities. According to that idea of India, these rights were deemed essential for the consolidation of the Indian state where citizens needed to feel a sense of belonging. Even though civil society organisations have contributed to the constitutional frame, they undoubtedly need to be regulated for defending those values.
