Bashy Quraishy
Secretary General – European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion – Strasbourg
Thierry Valle
Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience, France
Press Freedom and Politics of Intolerance
India presents itself as the “world’s largest democracy” and a rising power, celebrating its pluralism. However, concerns have been raised by international organizations about diminishing dissent, threats to journalists, pressure on academia, and increasing hostility towards minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Modi’s May 2026 European visit drew attention not only for trade and diplomacy but also for scrutiny on press freedom and minority rights in India. In the Netherlands, Modi emphasized economic ties, but Indian officials dismissed Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s comments on these issues, citing a misunderstanding of India’s diversity.
Tensions escalated during media interactions with Dutch journalists and Indian diplomats, highlighting friction between Western journalistic standards and Modi’s controlled PR approach.
From the Netherlands, Modi visited Sweden and Norway, marking the first Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Scandinavia in over forty years. At the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 19, a Norwegian journalist from Dagsavisen posed a question about Modi’s reluctance to take questions from the press, which he ignored.
The controversy persisted at press briefings by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in Norway. International journalists challenged Indian diplomats on press freedom and minority treatment, to which Indian officials defended their pluralism and democratic institutions.
Modi’s avoidance of the press during his European tour sparked global scrutiny and domestic criticism, igniting debates on India’s democratic accountability and media freedom.
The decline in press freedom in India is alarming. Journalists face harassment, legal threats, raids, and violence, with such acts rarely punished. Freedom House labels India as “Partly Free,” focusing on civil liberties, media independence, and minority treatment, noting an increase in press freedom attacks under Modi. India ranks 157th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Sans Frontières, which warns of a crisis in press freedom due to violence, concentrated media ownership, and political alignment.
India’s digital space has also been criticized. Freedom House’s 2025 “Freedom on the Net” report cites strained internet freedom, censorship, arrests over online content, and internet shutdowns.
These issues aren’t just “Western propaganda,” as similar concerns are echoed by independent Indian journalists, academics, retired judges, civil society groups, and opposition politicians.
The core question isn’t about India being an electoral democracy, but whether its democratic institutions can remain healthy when criticism becomes politically suspect.
Democratic erosion is usually gradual, starting when governments equate dissent with disloyalty, label journalists as enemies, pressure universities into ideological conformity, and normalize majoritarian nationalism in public discourse.
Democracy Must Begin with Self-Reflection
Criticism of governments and social injustice in democracies is crucial. Globally, intellectuals and journalists challenge racism and discrimination. Such actions push societies towards accountability and equality.
An important question is whether developing democracies critically examine their shortcomings.
Indian government supporters claim India is a vibrant democracy with free elections, an independent judiciary, and an active media. Critics argue democratic institutions face political pressure and rising nationalism linked to the BJP.
No matter the political stance, democracy must be open to scrutiny. Journalists should freely ask questions, and governments should transparently respond. Press freedom is a cornerstone of democratic legitimacy, not a state-granted privilege.
Developing nations should introspect before moralizing Western democracies. No nation is exempt from injustice or discrimination. Western countries deal with racism, inequality, and extremism. Likewise, non-Western democracies must address internal issues instead of dismissing critique as foreign interference.
The Danger is Not Only Political, but Moral
When religious nationalism ties with state power, minorities feel less secure. In India, Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and dissenting intellectuals express concerns about hate speech, vigilante violence, and social divide. Even if governments don’t endorse extremism, silence and selective enforcement can foster impunity.
This isn’t unique to India. Globally, democracies face challenges from populism, polarization, and ideological nationalism. Even Western democracies witness declining press freedom and political division.
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