Serious doubts have repeatedly been raised regarding the voting process in India’s Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. Opposition parties have strongly objected to the role of the Election Commission, raising questions about everything from the reliability of EVM machines to the transparency of the vote-counting process.
Recently, the National Congress Party, through its public meetings and press conferences, has exposed fake names in voter lists. These developments show that public awareness is increasing. However, the core issue at the heart of all this remains the dubious role of the Election Commission.
As suspicions of bias in the results grow, people’s faith in the Election Commission has begun to erode. This attempt to manipulate public opinion is a grave assault on democracy itself. The fourth pillar of democracy — the media — too seems to be maintaining silence on these issues. Government-opposing movements growing on the ground are being largely ignored by mainstream coverage.
Much like in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, public opinion in India also appears to be gradually leaning toward political change. Though Indian society has long been divided along caste and class lines, rising economic inequality, unemployment, and the government’s corrupt and hollow governance have fueled public anger.
The narcotic of religion, used to distract the masses, is no longer proving effective. Farmers, workers, and the laboring classes have reached a breaking point under growing exploitation. Meanwhile, the rapid growth in wealth among capitalists close to those in power has deepened economic inequality within the nation.
Against this backdrop, the fractured strands of Indian society seem to be coming together once again — and this could mark the beginning of a new social transformation.
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