Why was Prof Kaushik Basu cautious on India? Prof Kirit Parikh had the answer: sedition

Kirit Parikh, Kaushik Basu

Yesterday I attended Prof Kaushik Basu's lecture on global economy, after which I did a story on what all he said. I don't know the reason, but he was extremely cautious on issues on which he is known to be vocal on India. I pointedly asked his during the question answer session whether he saw India was slipping into hypernationalism, and if yes, what would be its impact on the Indian economy.
Prof Basu had already spoken about hypernationalism in Argentina and how it had harmed the economy. He just said, there was certainly a "risk", but refused to say more. A little later he referred to hypernationalism in the US under McCarthyism in early 1950s. He said, the country overcame the phenomenon before it was too late, and the economy survived. However, he remained cautious on India.
A former economic adviser to the Manmohan Singh government, was he told to not directly talk about India in any negative manner? It would seem so, if one goes by what Prof Kirit Parikh, another topnotch economist, who chaired the session, said. Prof Parikh summarised what all Prof Basu had explained, insisting, free expression and interaction of views were a precondition for economic development, which he suggested were under attack today.
Prof Parikh didn't stop here. He said, the hall where the lecture was taking place -- in Ahmedabad Management Association -- had mostly "private audience." He said this despite the fact that Prof Basu's lecture was termed "public." Commented Prof Parikh, free speech today was under fire, and those who were critical of the present dispensation face with seditious charges. He then left the floor open for questions.

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