The Congress on Thursday attacked the Modi government after India slipped 10 ranks on the Democracy Index, saying democracy has been eroded and democratic institutions debilitated under the 'tukde tukde gang' in power, and this should alarm every Indian.
The party said the country has to be vigilant against "diminishing democracy" and it cannot afford to allow democracy to be diluted.
Senior party leader P Chidambaram said India has slipped 10 places in the index and "anyone who has closely observed the events of the last two years knows that democracy has been eroded and democratic institutions have been debilitated those who are in power are the real 'tukde tukde' gang".
"The world is alarmed by the direction INDIA is taking. Every patriotic INDIAN should be alarmed too," he said on Twitter.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said it is natural that every proud Indian will deeply feel hurt and pained on finding that India has slipped 10 ranks from 41 to 51 on the Democracy Index which is computed by a well-known renowned and a very objectively known entity.
The index for India should be rising as it is one of those few countries who have solid democracy, he said, adding that is the first time since 2006 when it has declined to this figure.
"This is a red-flag which should remind us every minute of our existence that Diminishing Democracy is what we have to be eternally vigilant against. This is our proud heritage, it is our proudest possession. We can't allow it to dilute or diminish even by one millimetre," he told reporters.
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Singhvi said democracy has been vibrant, alive and kicking in a big measure only in India, unlike in several other colonial countries.
He said that one parameter was of fear.
"Is there not fear palpable in this country? Whether within the ruling party or outside it, whether it is because of misuse of government's power and agencies or of snooping and surveillance. I don't think we need a thermometer to measure that. We all understand and we all know it. Well, that diminishes democracy. This DD factor is what we are talking about - Diminishing Democracy," he said.
The Congress leader said that besides fear, 'intolerance', increase in instances of vendetta and bringing in uniformity as a right were the factors leading to the fall in India's position on Democracy Index.
"The second milestone criterion is 'intolerance' or 'accommodation'. Whether you see it manifested in students' episodes or in pre-emptive invocation of Article 144, so that you prevent an assembly which you later call an unlawful assembly. But everybody must be painted in my colour. What is my colour will be your colour. That is not the culture of India.
"The third factor of Diminishing Democracy is a palpable increase in vendetta -- the feeling of settling the scores. This is completely antithetical to the idea of India," he said.
Singhvi said India did not have vendetta politics as part of political culture, unlike other nations.
"I concede, we had it in the beginning in one or two states. As you all know it in one state in South India, you know one in East, may be one in North. But in this national level politics, it has never been a factor, never before 2014," Singhvi said.