Reports of a sweeping crackdown on student-led protests in India are deeply troubling. Democracies are strongest when citizens can peacefully express dissent without fear of excessive force, intimidation, or arbitrary detention. Allegations of police violence against defenseless demonstrators deserve independent investigation, accountability, and full respect for the rule of law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government should ensure that law enforcement protects the rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen while maintaining public order. History repeatedly shows that repression does not resolve legitimate public concerns—it deepens division, fuels resentment, and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.
Healthy democracies require both strong public institutions and unwavering respect for fundamental civil liberties. Governments should respond to criticism with transparency, dialogue, and accountability rather than by silencing peaceful dissent.
Public health, civil liberties, and democratic rights are not competing values—they are complementary pillars of a free society. Democracies are ultimately judged not by how they silence critics, but by how faithfully they protect the rights of all people, especially those who peacefully disagree with those in power.
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