CAA, NRC imperils idea of India: The Economist

January 24, 2020 10:21

The Economist has published an article criticising the Narendra Modi government over the new citizenship law CAA and the National Register of Citizens and says it "imperils the inspiring idea of India as the world's largest democracy".

The cover story of its latest edition, titled "Narendra Modi stokes divisions in the world's biggest democracy", says India's 200 million Muslims fear the Prime Minister is building a Hindu state.

Sketching the rise of the BJP with the movement for a Ram temple in the '80s, the article argues that "Mr Modi and the BJP are likely to benefit politically by creating divisions over religion and national identity".

"The plan to compile a register of genuine Indians as part of a hunt for foreign interlopers affects all 1.3bn people in the country. It could drag on for years, inflaming passions over and over again, as the list is compiled, challenged and revised" the article says.

Such subjects "also distract attention from awkward topics such as the economy, which has struggled since the BJP's thumping election victory last year", it notes.

The report also referred to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre last year ended its special status under the Article 370 of the constitution.

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