In an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed, "Criticism is the soul of democracy." He added, "If democracy truly runs in your veins, you must embrace it. In our scriptures, it is said, always keep your critics close. Critics should be your nearest companions because through genuine criticism, you can improve quickly and work democratically with better insights." These words were unexpected from the Prime Minister, as critics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his government feel that the experience of the past decade was in direct contrast to the values he claimed to espouse.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary for communications, expressed his dismay, calling Modi's statement "hypocrisy." He pointed out that the Prime Minister seemed to find comfort in speaking with a foreign podcaster rather than facing the Indian media. Ramesh further accused the Prime Minister of systematically dismantling every institution meant to hold his government accountable. He alleged that Modi had aggressively targeted critics, undermining their ability to question the government.

Indeed, since Modi came to power in 2014, any form of criticism directed at his government, the BJP, or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—the ideological base of the BJP—has been met with hostility. Critics have been branded as Naxals, anti-national, or even part of the "tukde tukde gang." Opposition leaders, journalists, and social activists have been suspiciously targeted, and allegations have surfaced regarding the state machinery being used to silence dissent and curb freedom of expression.
The use of sedition laws and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has been particularly alarming. These legal tools have been deployed to imprison and intimidate critics, activists, journalists, and opposition leaders.

A notable instance occurred in 2016 when Kanhaiya Kumar, a student leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was arrested on fraudulent sedition charges after allegedly raising anti-national slogans during a protest. It was later established that he was not even on campus when it happened. Many viewed the incident as an effort to silence dissent in academic spaces.

Similarly, in 2020, journalist Siddique Kappan was arrested while travelling to report on the Hathras gang rape case. He was charged under the UAPA for allegedly attempting to incite violence, even though his role was solely that of a journalist. Kappan, who was working for the Malayalam-language news portal Azhimukham at the time, spent over two years in jail. His arrest serves as another example of the state's use of legal frameworks to suppress journalistic independence and critical voices.

The crackdown on journalists and media houses has been a key method of suppressing criticism. The global Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has sharply declined India's rank during Modi's tenure. In the 2024 report, India was ranked 159th out of 180 countries. RSF pointed out that India's media landscape was in an "unofficial state of emergency," with many media outlets controlled by individuals and families with close ties to Modi's government.

Prominent journalists, such as Aakar Patel, Ravish Kumar, Rana Ayyub, and Mohammed Zubair, have faced harassment, legal threats, and even arrests for reporting on government policies or speaking out against the regime. Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website AltNews, has been arrested multiple times for allegedly spreading misinformation and hurting religious sentiments through his social media posts. Critics argue that such actions are politically motivated and aimed at suppressing dissenting voices.

A more recent case of media suppression occurred in 2025 when the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) ordered the blocking of the website of Vikatan, a Tamil-language magazine. The magazine had published a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Modi shackled in chains beside US President Donald Trump, which was interpreted as a commentary on deported immigrants being flown to India in chains. The government claimed that the cartoon threatened India's sovereignty and its foreign relations. The magazine's owners were forced to seek judicial intervention from the Madras High Court to restore access to their website.

Since 2014, many have accused India's mainstream media of becoming a mouthpiece for the ruling party, with the term "godi media" (lapdog media) being used to describe its subservience to the government. In response, people began turning to social media platforms to express their views and protest against the administration. However, this led the Modi government to tighten its grip on social media and online content. The government introduced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules) in 2020, granting the authorities greater power to regulate and remove content deemed detrimental to national interests or public order.

This regulatory framework has raised serious concerns about censorship and the stifling of free speech. Critics claim that the rules are being misused to silence those criticising the government. Social media users who express anti-government views have sometimes faced harassment, threats, and even criminal charges for their posts, as seen in the cases of individuals posting anti-Modi content on Twitter and other platforms.

In a democracy, the media is regarded as the "fourth pillar" of governance, alongside the legislature, executive, and judiciary. The role of the media is crucial in holding the government accountable, ensuring transparency, and offering a platform for dissent. When citizens and media outlets question the effectiveness or ethics of government decisions, they act as a safeguard against the concentration of power, preventing the rise of authoritarianism. However, when the government suppresses criticism, it undermines the democratic process and weakens the checks and balances essential for a healthy democracy.

Another serious accusation against the Modi government is its use of state institutions, law enforcement agencies, and investigative bodies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Income Tax Department to target political opponents or pressure them into switching allegiance. A report by the Indian Express in April 2024 revealed that 25 prominent politicians who had faced action from central agencies on alleged corruption charges had crossed over to the BJP. This included politicians from various opposition parties, including the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and others. Some of these cases were closed, while others remain stalled or in cold storage.

Reuters published a report in March 2024 highlighting that the ED had investigated more than 100 opposition politicians in the last decade. Critics have argued that these actions reflect a deliberate strategy to suppress opposition voices and neutralise potential political threats. Prominent opposition leaders, such as Hemant Soren, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Tejashwi Yadav, the former deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, and Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, have all faced investigations or raids by central agencies under the Modi government.

Opposition parties play a crucial role in a democracy by holding the government accountable and challenging its policies. However, over the past decade, opposition voices have been systematically silenced or marginalised. The Modi government has repeatedly denied requests for parliamentary debates on important issues, such as the Pegasus spyware scandal, the farmers' protests, the Adani scandal, the crisis in Manipur, and breaches of parliamentary security. As a result, opposition parties have often resorted to protests and disruptions, while the government has passed crucial bills with minimal opposition participation.

A fundamental tenet of democracy is the idea that the government is elected by the people and is accountable to them. Citizens have the right to protest against the government's decisions, as well as to demand accountability from their elected representatives. However, instead of engaging in dialogue with protesters, the Modi government has often resorted to suppression. The 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is a clear example of this. The passing of the CAA led to nationwide protests, especially among university students and Muslim groups. The government's response was marked by heavy-handed tactics, with activists like Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Zargar, and Umar Khalid being arrested under the UAPA for allegedly inciting violence during the protests. These arrests were viewed by critics as part of a broader attempt to suppress dissent against the government's controversial policies.

Social activists have also faced the wrath of the Modi government. Prominent human rights activists, such as Sudha Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, and Fr Stan Swamy, were arrested under the UAPA for their alleged involvement in the Bhima Koregaon violence of 2018. These activists were known for advocating for the rights of Dalits and Tribals, and their arrests sparked outrage both within India and internationally. Human rights organisations have condemned these actions, arguing that the activists were targeted for opposing the government's policies and were being punished for their dissent. Tragically, Fr Stan Swamy died in custody, while several other activists continue to languish in jail without trial.

In February 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of Harsh Mander, a former bureaucrat turned peace activist, and the Centre for Equity Studies (CES) office, which he is linked to. The CBI alleged financial irregularities under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Mander, a staunch critic of Prime Minister Modi and the government's Hindu nationalist agenda, was one of many detractors targeted by the authorities.

Over the past decade, Modi's government has employed a range of legal instruments, state institutions, and media control to target and silence its critics. These actions have raised serious concerns about the erosion of democratic rights, freedom of expression, and the rule of law in India. Although Prime Minister Modi believes that criticism is the soul of democracy, his government's response to criticism has often been characterised by intolerance and repression, casting doubt on his commitment to the principles of democracy and free expression.