Preserve democratic values

Gagging critics weakens democratic credentials

Barely a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi eloquently talked in the US of “deeply rooted democratic values ingrained in the Indian populace”, two developments suggest a partial understanding of its implications among Indian politicians. On July 7, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, which is headed by the PM, amended service rules for retired civil servants by lowering the bar for withholding pensions. Last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture tabled a report suggesting that artistes accepting Sahitya Akademi awards should sign an undertaking that they would not return their awards to protest