In defense of Indian 🇮🇳 democracy!
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi most successful visit to Norway a minor incident happened. A Norwegian journalist demanded that the prime minister starts holding press conferences. She claimed that Indian democracy is in bad shape.
May be its time to pause? May be its time to be a bit curious to the world’s largest democracy?
Two weeks ago five Indian states and territories held elections. The turn out in the battlefield state of West Bengal was 94%. In the last local election in Norway it was 62%, in many European local elections turn out is below 50%. Can voting in massive numbers be a signal Indians trust their democratic process?
In the same election BJP won big in Assam and West Bengal. It lost even bigger in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Can this diversity be a signal that Indian democracy is reflecting the will of the people?
The journalist referred to a democracy ranking putting India at 157 in the world, behind many dictatorships and deeply troubled states. When a ranking is so obviously contrary to common sense, why not ask critical questions to those making the ranking rather than demand that leaders shall comment on nonsense? I recommend Salvatore Babones book “Dharma democracy”. The book debunks convincingly the flawed methodology of these rankings.
It was referred to a ranking claiming it’s very dangerous to be a journalist in India. Reality is that it is more dangerous to be journalist in the US and far more dangerous in the vast majority of other nations in the world.
Let’s be real. India is not perfect. Of course there are incidents. India has a population the size of North America, South America and Europe combined. But India is much more peaceful than Europe or the Americas. That’s remarkable - given the ethnic, language and religious diversity of India and the many development challenges.
Unless we consider democracy a form of government only suited for some very small, peaceful and homogeneous Western European nations, may be we should commend Indian democracy?
India is the only major former UK colony which became and has remained a democracy. Its sometimes claimed that the Brits taught India democracy. If that was the case why isn’t Myanmar or Pakistan or the Gulf kingdoms democracies??? Reality is that Indian democracy is both homegrown and extraordinary successful.
Seeing USA flags ubiquitously during my visit here- be it homes, petrol pumps etc. Just curious to know what’s stopping us in India to flaunt our National Flag everywhere and be proud of it? @Suhelseth
Thank God for choosing #INDIA for me.
There were 1000+ countries in the world but you gave the most valuable gift by allowing me to be born here.
This many will realise in next 20-30 years why INDIA will rule the world
@aravind your thoughts
@sidhant You guys should honestly stay quiet. Government kept telling you again and again to leave. But you didn’t listen. Now when things are getting worse, suddenly you are scared.
@sidhant Why were they sleeping and ignoring advisory from the Indian embassy?
Now they want to evacuate from Iran like War Heroes at free Travel arrangements at taxpayers money!
@DerrickEvans4WV In the US, millions survive on food stamps and handouts, living in footpaths, while you visit your billionaire friends house. So? Fix the so called first world country first before commenting on others.
"This isn't Japan, it's Bengaluru!"
Every year the pink trumpet trees bloom, and every year influencers compare the city to Japan with its sakura trees.
This is one example of a widespread bad habit: using derivative names/descriptions for Indian cities, landmarks, and people.
Putting logic in Nepo Baby of Rejected Thackeray ji AMIT THACKERAY' s juvenile interview:
* Currently the elections in Maharashtra are local elections not state assembly so daddy darling cannot become the Chief Minister!
* State assembly elections were held last year & MNS got as many seats as your IQ: ZERO!
* Even If Daddy Darling becomes the CM of Maharashtra, Railways is a Union Subject not state !
* Your alliance already has one comedian in Sanjay Raut ji, you don't need to take his place !
#AmitThackeray Nepo Baby Rejected Thackeray ji!
🇮🇳 Indian inventions & discoveries that shaped the world:
🧮 The concept of zero 🔢 The decimal place-value system
➗ Foundations of modern arithmetic 📐 Trigonometry (sine, cosine) 📊 Early algebraic methods
♟️ Chess 🎲 Board game probability concepts 🧠 Binary number concepts (Pingala) 📜 Formal grammar & linguistics (Panini) 🧭 Early cartography & navigation
🩺 Ayurveda (systematic medicine) 🧠 Surgery & anatomy texts (Sushruta) 🦷 Early dentistry & cataract surgery 🌿 Herbal pharmacology systems 🧬 Early immunization concepts (variolation)
🧘 Yoga 🧘♂️ Meditation science & breath control 🕉️ Mind–body health frameworks
🏗️ Planned urban cities (Indus Valley) 🚰 Advanced drainage & sanitation systems 🧱 Standardized bricks & weights 🏛️ Rock-cut architecture 🗿 Monolithic stone construction
⚙️ Wootz steel (ancestor of Damascus steel) 🛠️ Zinc distillation (first large-scale) 🔥 Advanced metallurgy techniques
🚀 Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) 🛰️ Low-cost space launch systems 🌕 Mars Orbiter Mission (ultra-low cost) 🧭 Satellite navigation systems (NavIC)
💳 Digital public ID systems (Aadhaar) 📱 Mass-scale digital payments infrastructure (UPI) 🌾 Green Revolution agricultural methods 💉 Low-cost vaccine manufacturing leadership
Jai Somnath!
2026 marks 1000 years since the first attack on Somnath took place. Despite repeated attacks subsequently, Somnath stands tall! This is because Somnath’s story is about the unbreakable courage of countless children of Bharat Mata who protected our culture and civilisation.
Here is my OpEd on this issue.
#SomnathSwabhimanParv
https://t.co/R03Yu1iaYD