Why You Should be Offended by The Economist

Ashwini Anand, CFA, theindianrepublic, Saturday, 5 April 2014 : As some of you may have read, the London based liberal weekly, The Economist, recently came out with a controversial cover story titled, “Can anyone stop Narendra Modi?”. Blatant political bias and utter lack of objectivity aside, the article reeked of “western arrogance”- a term often used to describe a false sense of intellectual and moral superiority that is displayed by some western political analysts in matters related to the rest of the world.  In essence, the article has shown scant regard for the highly respected higher judicial system, seen by Indians as independent and clean, by implying that it has let a mass murderer get away with genocide. It has also insulted the wisdom of the voters of Gujarat, a state with a population of about 60 million, by connoting that they were daft enough to vote to power, a rabble-rousing bigot in not one but three elections spread across over a decade.

Disdain for the Indian judicial system

It is interesting to note that The Economist not only holds Modi responsible for the post-Godhra riots of 2002 but also for the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya in 1992. Perhaps a day will come when the scholars from The Economist will also hold the 62 year old Modi responsible for World War II or for The Great Plague of Europe.

By ignoring the findings of the Supreme Court supervised SIT (which gave Modi a clean chit) and its subsequent upholding by an Indian Court, the weekly has shown its utter and abject disdain for the Indian judicial system. It claims that evidence against Modi was “lost or willfully destroyed”. How convenient that despite the presence of an unfriendly (to Modi) central government, a probe monitored by the apex court (lead by an ex-CBI Director) and several NGOs baying for Modi’s neck, not a shred of evidence linking Modi to the 2002 riots was found ! Perhaps the authors, weighed down by preconceived notions, failed to consider the possibility that the reason no evidence was found against Modi was that he was innocent?

Unrelated, but nonetheless interesting, is the fact that the similar probes monitored by the Supreme Court in the case of the 2G scam led to the arrest and prosecution of sitting ministers/M.Ps of the ruling coalition- A. Raja and K.Kanimozhi.

Contempt for the democratic process in the world’s largest democracy

The article, without citing any evidence, also accuses Modi of “shamelessly” whipping up Hindus against Muslims. In effect, The Economist is implying that the Hindus are naive enough to be provoked by Modi’s so-called provocative speeches, indulge in violence against the Muslims and vote Modi to power. Such disrespect for the democratic process in the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy is not only appalling but also very unbecoming of a publication like The Economist.

An attack on the self-respect of Indians

By referring to India’s political process as “dog whistle politics” and connoting that elections in India are all about an underlying current of violence between Hindus and Muslims, The Economist has insulted the self-respect of the Indian voter. Painting the political process in a rich democracy like India with the same brush as communal violence and equating the rich mosaic of opinions and political thoughts to a “cacophony” is utterly despicable and constitutes an attack on the self-respect of Indians. It deserves to be condemned by all Indians irrespective of political leaning.

Reminiscent of patronizing colonial attitudes

It is hard to ignore the undercurrent of patronization in the article, especially when the authors dole out instructions to political parties about what they should do were they to win the election.  In a tone reminiscent of colonial self-righteousness, the authors tell the BJP’s coalition partners to “hold out for a prime minister other than Modi”. It may be wise for the editors of the London-based magazine to stop living in pre-Independence India and finally come to terms with the fact that India is no longer run from the capital of the British Empire.

I am offended and so should you be.