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.
This day back in 2003, in Nadimarg, Kashmir, Pakistani Zia Mustafa lined up 23 Kashmiri Hindus and shot them point blank. As Zia was fleeing he heard a baby cry. "Ye karnawun chupe" ordered his friend. The baby became the 24th victim.
To forgive Pakistanis is to forget Indians.
Dear @narendramodi. Every nation has images of greats on its currency - Darwin, Austen, Dickens, Faraday, in the case of UK. Only we have Mahatma Gandhi and no one else. Can't understand this stubbornness.
We demand others - Raman, Dinkar, Ramanujan, Bose, Vivekananda, Kalam.
#BREAKING: India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Davos strongly counters IMF Chief for calling India a second-tier AI power:
“I don't know what the IMF criteria is but Stanford places India at 3rd in the world for AI preparedness. I don't think your classification is correct.”
A news report by @Reuters claims that India proposes forcing smartphone manufacturers to share their source code as part of a security overhaul.
🔍 #PIBFactCheck
❌ This claim is #FAKE
▶️ The Government of India has NOT proposed any measure to force smartphone manufacturers to share their source code.
▶️ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (@GoI_MeitY) has started the process of stakeholders’ consultations to devise the most appropriate regulatory framework for mobile security. This is a part of regular and routine consultations with the industry for any safety or security standards. Once a stakeholder consultation is done, then various aspects of security standards are discussed with the industry.
▶️ No final regulations have been framed, and any future framework will be formulated only after due consultations.
📢 Always verify information through official sources before believing or sharing.
Wg Cdr Namansh Syal is the pilot who died in today’s Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show. Deepest condolences to his family, the squadron & the IAF.
Blue skies, Namansh. 💔
We need to contemplate how the opposition has shown a lack of respect for our national song over its 150-year history.
In 1937, Congress, led by Nehru, adopted only a truncated version of Vande Mataram, deliberately excluding stanzas that paid tribute to Goddess Durga. He subsequently argued with Netaji that the song might be offensive to Muslims.
This pattern continued, as even intellectuals such as Shashi Tharoor, in 2009, while speaking to an audience at a church, proposed that the Christian community should avoid singing it, claiming that it is not mandatory. In 2013, we observed an MP leaving the Indian Parliament while the national song was being performed. In 2017, in the Meerut municipal corporation, the Congress party vehemently criticized the initiative to sing the national song. Congress leaders have repeatedly engaged in such actions across the nation.
From Nehru to Tharoor, the disrespect persists, and we must challenge the mindset that anything national will upset minorities. Congress members ought to remember that our constitution ensures equal recognition for both the national anthem and the national song. No patriot will accept any disrespect towards the national song. #VandeMataram150
They didn’t just lift the trophy.
They lifted the game of Women’s cricket itself.
And while doing so, inspired whole new generations of young Indian champions.
Thank you for the enormous pride tonight!!
#INDWvSAW
36 hours, NO ARREST of VIP thug Samarthgouda Patil, son of Karnataka BJP leader Vijugouda Patil, after he bashed up a toll-booth man for demanding payment.
No rest till he faces the law.
8pm, @ndtv
“You don’t know who my father is?”
Karnataka BJP leader Vijayagouda Patil’s coward thug son Samarthgouda Patil beats up toll staffer for demanding toll fee.
Still not arrested.
🚨 Indian Army releases detailed video on Operation Sindoor & Ops Mahadev.
🔹 Precision strikes on Pak terror launchpads
🔹 Retaliatory ops after Pahalgam massacre
🔹Air Defence & Deadly Retaliation
🔹 Ceasefire but fight against terror on
SANJAY KUMAR OF CSDS ADMITS HIS DATA ON MAHARASHTRA WAS FAKE
BASED ON THIS FAKERY CONGRESS ECOSYSTEM ATTACKED ECI
WILL CONGRESS APOLOGISE FOR INSULTING MAHARASHTRA AND ITS GREAT PEOPLE
CONGRESS IS FAKE NEWS KI FACTORY
LIED ABOUT
RAFALE
SAVARKAR JI
INDIAN ARMY
HAL
LIC
SBI
NOW THEY LIE AND ATTACK JANTA AND SANVIDHANIK SANSTHA
NHAI has taken strict action on the incident of misbehaviour with army personnel by toll staff deployed at Bhuni Toll Plaza on Meerut-Karnal section of NH-709A on 17th August 2025. NHAI has imposed a penalty of Rs. 20 lakhs on the toll collecting agency, M/s Dharam Singh and has initiated the process of terminating & debarring the toll collection firm from future participation in toll plaza bids.
#NHAI strongly condemns such behaviour by the toll plaza staff and is committed to ensuring safe and seamless travel on National Highways.