Modi govt "fulfills" 50% of 14 criteria of fascism; things would reach peak if re-elected: Book on NDA's 4 yrs

By Our Representative

Four years of NDA governance with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, reviewed and compiled in a new report ‘Dismantling India’, with articles by 24 writers, all critical on the government’s “actions, policies, and directives”, has said that the difference between earlier governments and the present government is that, the latter has reached the 50% mark of the 14 points which qualify fascism, warning, if it comes to power again in 2019, fascism would reach its peak.
Speaking on the occasion of the book release function in Delhi, one speaker after another pointed towards how “spaces of dissent” were receding, with institutions coming under increasing attack. Thus, Gauhar Raza, scientist and poet, said that Modi government “is attacking the scientific institutions in such a way that the country is be taken back many years.”
Raza added, “The government is not only propagating unscientific and irrational views, but it “has slowly reduced the publication of scientific journals.”
Research scholar Souradeep Roy, speaking on “unmaking Indian culture, said that the attacks on culture “is not only on artists and writers but on the common man, while current affairs commentator Subhash Ghatade added, things have reached a point where the right-wing, “which used to work covertly” has become out in the openly defiant.
“The trishuls have changed into swords. The hatred seeded deep inside the common man is at its height. In Ranchi, RSS met to devise various mechanisms to win 2019 election via social media”, Ghatade said, adding, it is doing so because it has “failed in getting promises fulfilled so they will polarize communities.”
Talking about cow politics, Vidya Bhushan Rawat, another scholar, said, it “has created a huge problem for the small and medium farmers”, adding, the “fear of cows and its protectors has disturbed the village economy.”
Prof Karen Gabriel of Delhi University said the present government has already silently introduced many regressive things in higher education. For instance, in higher education, the government has begun Sanskrit in a very crude way.
“Students are made to opt for Sanskrit and no choice is given. The Sanskrit department has been asked to teach history through Vedas, distorting the history, introducing their re-writings of history covertly”, he added.
Supreme Court advocate Usha Ramanathan, speaking on aadhaar, said that the ruling party, when in opposition, strongly advocated against aadhaar, but when it came to power, it “not only took U-turn but implemented aadhaar in such a way that created havoc in the country.”
Farmers’ leader Vijoo Krishnan said that, through the 2013 land ordinance Act, farmers’ land was sought to be protected, within six months of coming to power, NDA brought in a land ordinance to change its provisions.
“Massive protests were organized and they had to pull back the ordinance. Now they have implemented these land acquisition bills through the BJP ruled states”, Vijayan said, regretting, “In Odisha, 92% of acquired land is lying un-utilized.”
Well-known feminist Kavita Krishnan said the worst kind of attacks on women autonomy and rights are taking place under the present government. “The government has diluted many laws related to women. The fight by women rights group on triple talaq led to the Supreme Court giving its verdict, but the government is now bringing a law, which will give powers to police and state to criminalize Muslim men.

Noted Hindi poet, essayist and literary-cultural critic Ashok Vajpeyi said that onslaught on India’s cultural institutes has begun with the appointment of such people as their heads who don’t have any experience on Culture. He added, Hindutva is nothing but a big threat to Hinduism, and if Hindu leaders wish to protect their religion, they must fight Hindutva.
Concluding the book release function, one of the editors, Dr John Dayal, said, “It was a mammoth task to clear the name of the book”, especially “when one prominent lawyer advised us to keep the title properly, otherwise, there might be criminal action.” However, he added, “It was fortunate that Media House came forward to publish the book.”
While another editor Leena Dabiru said that it was important thebook reached to places, from where the information is collected,  third editor Shabnam Hashmi spoke on the need to have such more such document. Currently, the book can be bought online on amazon.in.
The report, supported by a series of tables recording four years of Modi rule, includes list of hate speeches he and his party members delivered since he came to power in 2014.

 Others who spoke on the occasion included controversial Congress leader Mani Shakar Iyer, former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed, noted economist Prof Arun Kumar, and bureaucrat-turned-activist Harsh Mander.