MAGAZINE

Modi’s India: The Age of Intolerance
22 Mar 23

The Spring 2023 issue of Index looks at the state of free expression in Narendra Modi’s India. It paints a bleak picture: The press, once vibrant, is being strangled; the judiciary is no longer independent; laws have been amended to throw protesters in jail; opposition figures are harassed; minorities live in fear. Statues of Modi go up, ancient mosques come down. A hyper form of ethno-nationalism that we’d more associate with interwar Europe is the doctrine of the land. There is no room for tolerance, as a series of journalists who either live there or are from there outline. Beyond our special report we publish an essay from Nariman Dzhelyal, who is the leader of the Crimean Tatars, written from his prison cell. Celebrated Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov introduces Dzhelyal and explains why he is such a formidable character. The academic and author Kerry Brown wades into the contentious issue of whether we should ban Confucius Institutes, while Jo-Ann Mort talks about the inventive tactics used by US organisations to fight abortion bans. Finally, Martin Bright reminds us of those Afghan journalists still living under Taliban rule.

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FEATURING

Lijia Zhang

Lijia Zhang

Author

Lijia Zhang is a Chinese writer. She is the author of “Socialism Is Great!”: A Worker’s Memoir of the New China, and Lotus.

Lijia Zhang

Author
Lijia Zhang

Lijia Zhang

Author

Lijia Zhang is a Chinese writer. She is the author of “Socialism Is Great!”: A Worker’s Memoir of the New China, and Lotus.

Nariman Dzhelal

Nariman Dzhelal

Leader of the Crimean Tatars

Nariman Dzhelal is the jailed leader of the Crimean Tatars, arguably the most persecuted group in Ukraine.

Nariman Dzhelal

Leader of the Crimean Tatars
Nariman Dzhelal

Nariman Dzhelal

Leader of the Crimean Tatars

Nariman Dzhelal is the jailed leader of the Crimean Tatars, arguably the most persecuted group in Ukraine.

Salil Tripathi

Salil Tripathi

Journalist, author and editor

Salil Tripathi is an award-winning India-born journalist, author and editor. He was chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee and is now on its board.

Salil Tripathi

Journalist, author and editor
Salil Tripathi

Salil Tripathi

Journalist, author and editor

Salil Tripathi is an award-winning India-born journalist, author and editor. He was chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee and is now on its board.

IN THIS ISSUE

Modi’s India: The age of intolerance in the world’s biggest democracy

Recent estimates suggest that India has now overtaken China in population size, but where the world's most populated country should be a beacon of democracy, the opposite may be true. Under Narendra Modi, the press is being strangled; the judiciary is no longer...

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