India’s long and painful slide towards extremism and intolerance suggests that, if problems at the fringes are not addressed quickly by the state and society, extremism can become mainstream and fiendishly difficult to roll back.
More than 40 intellectuals and writers have at last count returned their literary awards to protest against the rise in intolerance and the assault on free speech.
The growing public outcry is a welcome sign that India’s history as a constitutionally protected secular democracy will not be erased by a single election or by extremists emboldened on the fringes of society. Alarm bells are ringing; India needs to reaffirm its commitment to pluralism and diversity.