The Modi Wave: A Masterclass in Intellectual Erosion and Democratic Amnesia

 

The Modi Wave: A Masterclass in Intellectual Erosion and Democratic Amnesia

Picture is from NDTV

Ah, India—the land of ancient wisdom, rich traditions, and, apparently, a newfound enthusiasm for blind obedience. A nation that once fought tooth and nail against colonial rule, only to now voluntarily surrender its democracy to a government that thrives on lies, religious division, and economic mismanagement. But who cares about facts when you have the Modi wave?

One of the most fascinating side effects of this wave is the sheer number of educated individuals who have decided that civil responsibility is an outdated concept. They have willingly traded logic for propaganda, facts for WhatsApp forwards, and civic duty for cheerleading a government that excels in nothing but self-promotion. And why? Because the alternative, Rahul Gandhi, comes from a horror family that, ironically, built the nation from zero to what it is today.

Apparently, in today’s India, leadership is no longer about integrity, accountability, or vision. No, it is about how effectively you can suppress dissent, manipulate institutions, and avoid taking responsibility for your failures. It seems that a real leader can lie without blinking, hide behind state agencies, and erase all evidence of wrongdoing while ensuring that government bodies work as personal enforcers. But someone who dares to stand before the nation, answer tough questions, present facts, and fight corruption? That’s just an entitled dynast, right?

It’s quite the paradox. The so-called "educated" class in India loves to dismiss Rahul Gandhi as incompetent while simultaneously supporting a government that refuses to let him speak in Parliament. If he’s such a joke, why is the BJP so terrified of his voice? Why does the Speaker of the House—who now operates more like Modi’s personal assistant than an impartial authority—go to great lengths to silence him? A Speaker who, for all intents and purposes, has been reduced to a spineless puppet, his metaphorical backbone replaced with a rubber stamp marked "Approved by Modi".

And of course, the ever-loyal Indian media, which, in its current state, functions less like a pillar of democracy and more like a PR agency for the ruling party, ensures that none of these uncomfortable discussions reach the masses. No, the people must not know about election rigging, missing voter records, or the mysterious surge of millions of unexplained votes. They must remain blissfully unaware, entertained by primetime debates on temples, beef bans, and Bollywood scandals.

The privileged class in India, once responsible for selling out to the British, has evidently learned nothing from history. Just like their colonial-era counterparts, they have chosen to align with power over principle, with personal gain over national interest. Back then, it was about siding with the British against fellow Indians; today, it’s about selling the country’s institutions to corporate overlords while turning a blind eye to the systematic destruction of democracy. The East India Company may be long gone, but its playbook has been dusted off and rebranded—this time with a saffron twist.

India’s ruling elite has perfected the art of distraction. Buy out the media. Subdue the judiciary. Manufacture crises. Suppress the opposition. And, when all else fails, simply delete the evidence. The Election Commission of India (ECI), once an institution meant to safeguard democracy, has seemingly taken inspiration from magicians—data disappears, questions go unanswered, and votes appear out of thin air, all without a shred of accountability.

To put this into perspective, let’s revisit a Supreme Court ruling in Uttar Pradesh regarding a local election for the position of Sarpanch. The winning candidate was declared victorious by a margin of 37 votes, but then, mysteriously, 19 votes were found missing from the total count. When asked for records, the officials responsible for maintaining election integrity suddenly misplaced all documentation related to the vote. The Supreme Court, rightfully, ruled that the election had not been conducted per the necessary legal procedures and ordered a re-election, despite the winner arguing that 19 votes would not have changed the outcome. The decision was based not just on the numbers but on the fundamental failure to follow proper electoral processes.

Now contrast this with national-level elections under the Modi government. Here, the ECI refuses to show voter records, conveniently deletes election data immediately after voting, and cannot explain how millions of votes suddenly appear from nowhere. Voter lists from one state show up in another, opposition candidates mysteriously lose by margins that defy mathematical probability, and the BJP conveniently has no answers. Why should they? Their strategy is simple—let the opposition waste years in courts, where cases drag on endlessly, while they continue securing victory after victory through systematic election theft.

And the brilliance of this plan? The apathy of the Indian voter. A staggering 90% of the population is too preoccupied with daily survival to even question what’s happening. As long as someone is occupying the Prime Minister’s chair and delivering monologues on television, everything seems just fine. Why should they care that their government is borrowing money in their name, racking up debt that they and their children will have to repay? They have been conditioned to believe that governance is a mere formality, and it doesn’t matter how corrupt or inefficient the system is, as long as the government "looks strong."

It’s almost poetic. A nation that fought so hard to rid itself of British exploitation now stands in line to elect its own exploiters. A population that once dreamed of self-rule now blindly applauds authoritarianism. And an elite class that once stood up to colonial powers now plays the role of modern-day collaborators, selling out their own people for personal gain.

So, to those celebrating the Modi wave while ignoring the looting of their nation, congratulations. You are witnessing history being rewritten, democracy being dismantled, and the country being mortgaged to corporate interests, all in real time. And you? You are complicit.

Enjoy the show.