Fascism is coming to India

I believe that some kind of fascism is inevitably going to come to India. As a result of this fascism democracy, freedom of speech and of the press, and civil liberties will all be totally suppressed.
Consider the facts. The present Indian government came to power on high expectations with the slogan of ‘vikaas’ or development. This meant, or at least was perceived as, millions of jobs for the youth, industrial growth benefiting businessmen and others, and general prosperity for the public.
We are now one and a half years since the new government came to power, but one can see no traces of vikaas (see my articles ‘The Shape of Things to come’, ‘Vikas’, ‘Healthcare in India’, ‘Malnutrition in India’, ‘Unemployment in India’, ‘The Trickle Down Theory’, ‘The Dream has evaporated’, among others on my blog: justicekatju.blogspot.in), but only stunts like Swatchata Abhiyaan, Ghar waapsi, Good Governance Day, Yoga Day, etc.
In these articles I have demonstrated that under the economic policies being pursued by this government there is bound to be further economic recession and further unemployment, malnutrition, lack of healthcare, farmers’ suicides and poverty – though a handful of big businessmen may benefit. Prices of essential foodstuffs like dal and onions have already gone through the roof, and will in all likelihood shoot up higher
Consequently this government will become increasingly unpopular day by day, as people, especially the youth, get disillusioned and realise that they were befooled and taken for a ride by our superman who promised a paradise and a Shangri-La-like India with his accession to power, but has really left people in the lurch.
This disillusionment and disenchantment, coupled with the terrible economic hardships and distress the Indian people are facing, with rising prices, rising unemployment, widespread malnutrition, farmers suicides, etc, is bound to lead to widespread popular agitations, disturbances, and turbulence all over the country.
To deal with these, attempts will first be made – as they have already been made – to divide the people on communal lines, and blame minorities for the problems, as Jews were blamed by the Nazis.
One may recall that fascist regimes came to power in Germany and Italy in the 1920s and 1930s because of massive unemployment and soaring inflation in those countries and the consequent popular agitations.
These steps, however, will prove ineffective after a short time as food and jobs are more important to people than religion. Then harsh measures will be employed by the government. In other words, some kind of Emergency – which we witnessed from 1975-1977 – in which all civil liberties, freedom of speech and of the press, and all vestiges of democracy will be suppressed.
What form this fascism will take is difficult to predict, but to my mind fascism is inevitable in India in a year or so.
The writer is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Email: mark_katju@yahoo.co.in