‘Indian democracy faces limitations even today’

Speaking at an event in Thrissur on Friday on the topic 'Is India a democratic country', Teltumbde said India continues to be a nation with severe economic disparity, poverty and unemployment.

Anand Teltumbde was at an event in Thrissur on Friday, before his arrest from Mumbai airport early Saturday on his way back from Kerala.

Indian democracy faces many limitations even seven decades after independence, with democratic rights still denied to women, children and marginalised sections of the society, activist and scholar Anand Teltumbde had said at an event in Thrissur on Friday, before his arrest from Mumbai airport early Saturday on his way back from Kerala.

Speaking on the topic “Is India a democratic country”, Teltumbde said India continues to be a nation with severe economic disparity, poverty and unemployment.

The fact that 36 per cent of the country’s wealth is owned by 1 per cent of corporates shows the hollowness of economic democracy, he said. Dalits, he said, are being subjected to most abject exploitations — each year, around 50,000 people from Dalit communities are attacked across the country.

Two Dalit people are killed and six Dalit women raped on average each day, he said.

India is at 97th position out of 118 poorest countries of the world, Teltumbde said. According to him, political democracy has got several drawbacks, which is why the party with only 31 per cent of vote share rules the country with two-third majority.

Although India is a country of many religions and cultures, the ruling party is trying to create a unified existence on behalf of Hindutva, he said.

The event was organised by C Achutha Menon Study and Research Centre.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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