Asim Ali

We need to break the echo chamber of the dominant classes.

While their rise poses challenges and inconveniences, they must not be shunned.

It now requires more courage than ever before, to keep speaking truth to power, louder and clearer.

Conformity is viewed as a sign of patriotism, while critical thinking is seen as tantamount to treachery.

In gut-wrenching irony, it suits the ruling party of India to keep the issue on the boil, as it fans the nationalist upsurge that is key to its electoral prospects.

To put it bluntly, this was a vote of no confidence, not merely towards the mainstream political parties, but also, horrifyingly, towards Indian democracy.

We are sliding towards becoming an illiberal democracy, where rule of law is routinely compromised at the altar of majoritarian sentiments.

She has exposed the right-wing nationalism as a hypocritical, sexist, bigoted project.

Political satire is virtually non-existent in India, paradoxically for a country whose politics is almost uniquely colourful, theatrical and boisterous.