Let’s have a look at the examples of Gujarat model of dictatorship, failed democratic governance and undeclared emergency:
– NITI Aayog: Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya resigned.
– Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian resigned. Later he said demonetisation was a major shock to Indian economy.
– RBI: Raghuram Rajan said he was willing to take an extension but Modi Govt didn’t offer it. He went abroad. Later he said demonetisation and GST slowed down Indian economy.
– Supreme Court: Four judges held a historic press conference saying that judiciary is compromised and democracy is in danger.
— CBI: Director Alok Verma removed at mid-night. He is fighting in the Supreme Court against the Modi Govt.
— Election Commission: Postponed its press conference as it was colliding with Modi’s rally. EVM tampering and malfunctions found at many places.
– Central Information Commission: It needs 11 Information Commissioners. They are working with just three. Modi Govt is not filling the vacant posts since two years as they want to destroy the RTI. PMO and Finance Ministry is not disclosing Raghuram Rajan’s List of NPA defaulters and the action taken on it even after repeated notices from CIC.
– Army: Lt. General and Commanding Officer of Surgical Strike, DS Hooda said surgical strike was “over-hyped” and “politicised”.
–RBI (again): Governor Urjit Patel resigns after Modi Govt pressurized RBI to transfer Rs. 3 lakh crores from its cash reserves. Modi government’s attack on RBI was revealed in public when Deputy Governor of RBI, Viral Acharya said in October that economy has to face serious consequences if government compromises the autonomy of RBI. The government wanted the RBI to relax the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework under which as many as 11 public sector banks are placed now due to enormous stressed assets. The Modi government was pressurising RBI Governor through its handpicked Board members. Modi government wanted to implement Section 7 of the RBI Act, which would give them the power to direct RBI in ”public interest”. These were the reasons which probably forced Governor Urjit Patel to resign.
The autonomy of each institution has been threatened under the Modi government. The so called Gujarat’s Model of Governance has no respect for democracy and democratic institutions. Each institution is being politicised and rare voices of dissent from each institution are being forced to resign. By destroying the autonomy of institutions and forcing dissenting people to resign, Modi government is on its way to convert democracy into dictatorship.
To bring dictatorship, you don’t always need to officially bring Emergency. When there are no honest and brave officers left in any institution who can question any wrong step of the government, then it’s clearly an Undeclared Emergency. When there is no autonomy of institutions which can obstruct any unconstitutional step of the government, then it’s clearly Undeclared Emergency.