2021-05-17 12:13:31

CRISIS IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY AND COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

In the recent history of global constitutional democracy, it is difficult to say a crisis that will destroy them at the same time until the COVID-19 pandemic, the scourge of the virus is widespread and governments have the opportunity to do so. Response to the crisis. Without prejudice to the protection of rights. Some countries have made little progress in this test, while others are worried about a decline in democracy. India’s response to COVID-19 has three characteristics: lack of transparency, administrative monopoly, and suppression of differences.

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

Most of us must agree that transparency and access to information can increase public trust and accountability. Although the initial strategy of countries like Brazil and Jal Bolsonaro or the United States with Donald Trump was to deny the virus, India’s response was mainly a lack of transparency in governance and crisis management. On the evening of March 24, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide 21-day shutdown, which should begin within four hours. These include international and domestic travel, school closures, non-essential business, and bans on meetings and events. This sudden, unannounced announcement plunged about 1.366 billion people in the country into chaos and chaos. It's okay to wait.

The state is not prepared to comply with this closure requirement. The blockade has suddenly reduced free movement and access to resources and has a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups such as students, women, the disabled, and the disabled. Facts have proved that India’s social safety net is completely inadequate. The impact on poor migrant workers is staggering. The incomes of most non-governmental migrant workers have stagnated, and approximately 450 million people have gone to cities to find work. The government arranged transportation at least a few months after the blockade. They had no choice but to walk hundreds of kilometers. They went home for a few weeks, often carrying children, luggage, and eating small amounts of food. According to reports, many died of starvation and malnutrition.

During the pandemic, the government’s response was full of false and often incorrect information. The investigation revealed that the number of reported cases is far from the actual data. Initially, the central government denied any concerns about the spread of infection among the population, despite the small number of cases. In addition to this false optimism, it also includes the vaccination schedule planned by the National Medical Research Institute in August 2020 and the promotion of traditional Ayurvedic treatments to prevent the spread of the virus. By secretly preventing them from making critical reports, it is important to "cope with the spread of pessimism, negative emotions, and rumors." Investigating and criticizing journalists who have been arrested or charged with criminal law. Significant donations, but the government has refused to provide detailed information about the fund’s donations, or the Prime Minister has not held press conferences in recent years (except for the 2019 conference, where he declined to answer questions), and this trend is even when citizens of the pandemic have passed long-term registration services. It continues to exist in the days. The blockade was again extended without warning at intervals of 21, 19, and 14 days, which eventually led to the gradual relaxation of the restriction called "unblocking" in June 2020. However, economists believe that the country entered the blockade market much earlier than necessities and exited the blockade much later. Therefore, isolation not only caused economic disaster but also failed to effectively control the pandemic. Overall, in terms of responsible management, the fight against COVID-19 is far from satisfactory.

SUPPRESSION OF DISSENT

At the end of 2019, the Indian Parliament passed the Citizenship Law, which grants some neighboring countries the citizenship of “illegal immigrants” based on their religious beliefs. Some critics say that this is a measure to persecute the Hindu nationalist ideology of the current government, which runs counter to secularism and non-discriminatory constitutional guarantees. In February 2020, violent riots against protesters broke out in the capital, Delhi, in accordance with the Indian Nationalist Forces Act. , Sometimes with the help of the police. Large-scale protests against this law have erupted across the country. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly ended the protests. Let the government distract the public from these concerns and focus on the pandemic. The political consequences of the pandemic: end dissent and neutralize political movements. This practice helped executives arrest journalists, politicians, students, and mainly Muslims (in a recent incident, he was even arrested by comedians for his pranks). Don't do it). Many people who criticize Hindu ideas or the government’s response to the pandemic face the wrong application of the current criminal law, as well as those who participated in the protest against the citizenship law. Repression is almost impossible.

CONCLUSION

The important lesson India learned from the COVID-19 crisis is to take discussion and accountability seriously. India continues to pay a heavy price for the lack of comprehensive legislation and effective enforcement mechanisms. The separation of powers, including the legislature and the judiciary, has suffered a severe blow. It must be ensured that changes in the regulatory system such as parliamentary deliberation, judicial control of the executive branch, and lack of consultation in the legislative process are not encouraged. The government must recognize the importance of transparency in governance and take measures to restore public confidence. Informal norms, such as public consultation and dialogue, respect for the opposition, and tolerance of dissidents are equally important. The judiciary makes every effort to understand and effectively resolve cases involving personal freedom. It has got rid of the democratic structure, and the necessity of restoring it is crucial.

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