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(This article is part of the View From India newsletter curated by The Hindu’s foreign affairs experts. To receive the newsletter in your inbox every Monday, sign up here.)
In this week’s newsletter, let’s focus on the “View of India” in recent times.
In the latest episode of our Worldview series, our Diplomatic Affairs Editor Suhasini Haider takes a closer look at the question on many minds – is India being singled out for its handling of the protests?
The question is raised by the reactions of many international human rights organizations and others to the Indian authorities’ response to the ongoing protests led by Gen Z, demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, over very serious concerns about the disenfranchisement of some 13 million people. As thousands of young Indians took to the streets in a peaceful protest to register their anger, Delhi police responded with widespread arrests, including of journalists with identity cards who were there only to cover the agitations in the capital.
On 10 October 2026, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it was “concerned” by reports of “mass detention” at protests in Delhi demanding that CEC Gyanesh Kumar resign. The UN body urged the Indian authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful protest is respected and that all those detained “arbitrarily” be released immediately and unconditionally.
The government reacted strongly, calling the concerns “misplaced” and calling the OHCHR’s statement an “unwarranted interference in India’s internal affairs”. New Delhi also accused the office of the UN human rights chief of “extreme selectivity” and “double standards”, referring to other protests in our neighbourhood.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said: “India is the world’s largest democracy where the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by our constitution and ensured by strong institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media. Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal was right about the constitutional guarantee. But the problem is that law enforcement agencies have either forgotten or ignored it with little consequence. When someone spotted at a protest site becomes a potential to those detained; when dozens of videos provide evidence of police brutality and violence against protesters; and when the whereabouts of detained activists remain unknown, it is hardly enough to argue for respecting the sovereignty of countries and their right to make independent decisions. The world cannot be expected to remain silent as the injustice unfolds on the streets rights protections that closely monitor our rights, even when governments – preoccupied with other strategic and geopolitical considerations – choose to remain silent, as many are doing in the case of Gaza.
As Amnesty International’s global rights watchdog rightfully so observed: “The right to protest does not depend on government approval. It is protected by the Indian Constitution and international human rights law.”. Human Rights Watch too considered“Indian authorities should allow people to protest peacefully by restoring transport services, removing unnecessary barricades, restoring the internet and ensuring media freedom,” the statement said. In another joint statementAmnesty International, CIVICUS, Front Line Defenders and South Asias for Human Rights called on the Indian authorities to ensure that peaceful protesters can hold those in power accountable without facing intimidation, arbitrary detention or widespread restrictions on their freedoms.
It is not only “outsiders” or “external agencies” who comment on the disturbing developments in India. Citizens who stand for democracy and democratic rights were concerned. As do many within the legal and media fraternity. A Hindu editorial said of the development: “Instead of ensuring peaceful assembly under the law of the land, the Center ordered a nationwide crackdown where thousands of youths were taken into preventive custody and Delhi was locked down as under martial law. Trains were canceled and halted, passengers were jailed and journalists, activists, academics and lawyers attacked democracy itself with shock and seized weapons, seized and misused them.”
The international media also took a keen interest. The Guardian he remarked: “Young protesters have exposed the limits of a strongman’s authority. Crushing dissent risks deepening the democratic crisis he is expected to face.”
Financial Times he said: “India has long boasted about the strength of its democratic institutions, which are robust enough to withstand protests and the occasional resignation of ministers. But the course of the demonstrations in Delhi, which were called for the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner, suggests an uninspiring sense of insecurity.”
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India is the mother of democracy. If this perception is to be shared by everyone within and everyone who subscribes to democratic values anywhere in the world, introspection is key. The Financial Times noted: “Modi hails India as the ‘mother of democracy’ but is less enthusiastic about preserving freedom of expression and space for vigorous opposition.”
The persistence of dissent in India, of which the government appears intolerant, and the reactions its actions have drawn from various commentators in India and beyond, all tell an important story. There’s only so much you can do to control the narrative.
New podcast alert!
Have you seen our new podcast series yet? The View from India by The Hindu brings you the views of diplomats, politicians, academics, journalists and specialists in India and around the world as they make sense of an age of change. From conflicts and shifting alliances to international cooperation and great power rivalry, the podcast goes beyond the headlines to explore India’s place in the world and the world’s growing interest in India. International relations with Indian characteristics. Take a look and let us know what you think!
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Published – 19 Oct 2026 14:41 IST