Three shifts have shaped Indian politics in the current conjuncture – consolidation of a majoritarian brand of politics, decline in the autonomy of institutions and curbs on dissent and opposition. At the heart of these changes lies the politics of the ruling party fuelled by the Hindu majoritarian project and a move away from pluralism. The very idea of a democracy based on equal rights irrespective of caste, class or faith has changed under the pressure of majoritarian politics. This combined with the declining independence of institutions and the dilution of checks and balances has contributed to democratic erosion. This book ties to make sense of these changes by focussing on two overlapping developments- the expansion of a majoritarian politics and the shrinking space for dissent and pluralism in the past decade. It unpacks the implications and consequences of these developments in five areas – dissent, media, rights, protests and opposition.

Zoya Hasan is Professor Emerita, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and former Dean of the School of Social Sciences, JNU. She is currently a Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, New Delhi.