Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended India's democratic principles during a Bloomberg New Economy event, coinciding with intensifying protests against the Election Commission's handling of voter lists. The protests, led by opposition parties and the Cockroach Janta Party, have arisen due to the removal of 130 million names from the voter rolls during a special revision process.
Despite the government's assertion that these deletions were justified due to various reasons, including deaths and relocations, critics argue that the process raises serious constitutional concerns. The crackdown on protests has been significant, with numerous detentions of activists and opposition figures, leading to warnings from experts that heavy-handed tactics could provoke further unrest.
While the current scale of protests is not seen as a threat to India's stability or investor behavior, the potential for increased volatility exists if the government's response continues to escalate. The United Nations has expressed concern over the mass detentions, while the Indian government has dismissed these comments as interference in its internal affairs