Power centers of Modi and Shah's Dictatorship

Modi & Shah are consolidating their dictatorship in India destroying constitution, legality, institutions, political opposition, civil rights and public dissent. But establishing a dictatorship is not easy as it requires some prerequisites and control over certain critical areas of nation. Modi & Shah regime has these five centers of power which help them establish their dictatorial rule over the country.


Military & Paramilitary Armed forces - Army is used as a Political instrument to create a Nationalistic image

 

You can't impose a dictatorship without controlling the military. Military is the most critical part of Modi's dictatorship. Control over military is the main MUSCLES of dictators & also give De Facto legitimacy & authority to ruling dictators. By controlling the military, other aspects of dictatorship can be enforced & implemented. The military which was supposed to be independent & apolitical is now a tool & instrument in hands of Modi & Shah. The control over military is exercised through network of corrupt and intellectually bankrupt officers in the military. Military is highly professional and competent organization with committed officers - from top to bottom. But in this chain of command, organizational structure & leadership of Military - corrupt military officers are embedded to wield control over the military. Who are these corrupt officers? Many of them are intellectually bankrupt which are inclined towards RSS ideology & Hindutva. But there are also corrupt military officers who reap the financial gains. Defense scandals (like Rafale Jet scam or Bofors scam) benefit politicians, big businessmen but a part of dirty money also ends up in pockets of some military officers.

( Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw - A committed, courageous, visionary & intellectually gifted Military officer of independent India. But military officers allied to Modi & Shah are corrupted, intellectually bankrupt, enablers of Modi's dictatorship and implicated in high crimes against the country. Photo - DNA India )

Bipin Rawat & VK Singh belong to the network of corrupt officers who are facilitating Modi & Shah to establish their dictatorship in India. Gen VK Singh went to BJP after his retirement as chief of Army staff. There were dozens of high ranking retired military & Intelligence officers who joined BJP starting in 2014. Former chief of India's RAW (India's equivalent of CIA) joined BJP along with VK Singh.

(Left - Chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat, instrumental in implementing Modi's Kashmir policy. Bipin Rawat has also supported Modi's new Citizenship policy. Right - Former Army Chief, General VK Singh joined BJP after retirement. VK Singh is staunch supporter of Modi & highly critical of free Press and opposition political parties.)

Military is used for domestic political gains in several ways. During elections, military is used to create low level conflict & crisis with Pakistan on Kashmir LOC. Its no surprise that timing of surgical strikes is linked to elections. BJP's election campaigns constantly features Modi & other BJP politicians with Indian Army soldiers. Military officers like Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat also interfere in politics by giving moral support to Modi Govt on unpopular & unconstitutional policies like support to Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Military was also crucial in illegal & unconstitutional abrogation of article 370 in Kashmir. More than 500,000 Indian troops & paramilitary forces were used to suppress mass protests in Kashmir post abrogation of article 370 . This is a dangerous precedent as it indicates that military will blindly follow any illegal & unconstitutional orders of Modi & Shah.


 

Control over Police & Investigating agencies (CBI, ED, NIA, Income Tax Department etc) - Police & investigating agencies used to crush Political opposition & Public dissent - Modi's policies are national disaster - Brutal force needed to scare & silence the public 

 

 

( Opposition Politicians are on Hit list of Investigating Agencies - Left - Mukul Roy, a politician & Minister of TMC Party in West Bengal was under investigation for chit fund scam. He joined BJP & investigation against him were no longer a priority. Center - P Chidambaram, former finance minister and a key member of main Political opposition Congress party. Enforcement Directorate pursuing cases against him for financial crimes. Right - Oakram Henry, Politician & MLA of region Congress party of Manipur, was under CBI investigation for Drugs & narcotics offenses. He has now joined the BJP along with other members of his party. )

Control over investigating agencies is also an important part of dictatorship. Independent institutions are hindrance to any dictatorial government specially when government is involved in high corruption & crimes. An independent institution like CBI and ED will act against a corrupt politicians & Government officials thus throwing a wrench into the spinning wheels of dictatorial government. Another reason for takeover of these investigating agencies & institutions is to neutralize political opposition and public dissent. Agencies are used to dig up scandals of rival political parties. Then opposition politicians can be blackmailed and purchased. The pattern of targeting opposition politicians is clear. Investigations & criminal cases are opened against opposition politicians regarding XYZ scandal. Either that politician is thrown in prison if he refuses to compromise with his party allegiance. Or the politician ends up joining the BJP and soon all the investigations & criminal cases against him disappear. Amit Shah himself governs the Home Ministry, the most important ministry which controls Police, investigating agencies & internal affairs of the country.

( Left - Former Special Director of CBI, Rakesh Asthana. CBI, ED, NIA & other agencies are now full of corrupt & compromised officers like Asthana. Right - Former Intelligence Bureau chief & present National security Adviser, Ajit Doval. Doval's job is not really about securing national interests. Its actually about neutralizing political opposition & public dissent against Modi. Doval is the key player who controls CBI, NIA, ED etc. Doval was also one of the architect of Color revolution that helped in removing previous UPA Govt. )

 

                      

( Left - Gujarat IPS Officer & whistle blower who exposed Modi's role in Gujarat riots & massacre of Muslims. He's sentenced to life imprisonment on fabricated criminal cases against him. Center - Dr. Kafeel Khan, a critique of Modi's new Citizenship policy . He's now being prosecuted under draconian National security act. )

    

( Modi is unpopular due to his failed & catastrophic economic policies and unconstitutional & dictatorial laws. Nationwide Million Man marches against Modi & his policies are common in India. Photo Left - Protests against Modi's unconstitutional citizenship law. Center - Farmer protests due to distress in farm sector. Left - Nationwide protests by Trade Unions against austerity, privatization & anti-labor policies of Modi Govt. )

             

(Police brutality against protesters is common. Left - Police beating University students protesting against Modi's citizenship law. Right - Police using water cannons against Farmer protests. Police has opened fire & killed against protesters on several occasions. This is similar to authoritarian countries where regimes kill protesters.)

Police & other investigating agencies are also used against activists, students, civil rights proponents & critiques of government. As the government is dictatorial, corrupt & incompetent - there will undoubtedly be protest against the policies & actions of such government. Police & investigating agencies are thus very necessary to silence and break public dissent. Policies like CAA NRC, Abrogation of article 370, Modi's failures on economy & governance, distress in rural & farm sector, massive unemployment & rising poverty - All these things mean people will come out on streets to protest against incompetence & corruption of the government. So its necessary to have strong control over the Police & investigating agencies to neutralize these protests and public dissent in general. Police is now routinely using draconian anti-terrorism & sedition laws against activists & peaceful protesters.


Legality of Dictatorship - A committed Judiciary backing the Executive Branch of Govt - Supreme Court has become an extension of Modi's office - Judge Arun Mishra worship Modi as a Genius statesman

 

(Left - 2018 Historic Press Conference of Four Senior Judges of SC where they said that Democracy is in Danger. Right - Former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. His career tainted by sexual harassment allegations by an employee of his office. Gogoi was granted a Parliamentary seat post retirement, an unprecedented step that undermined the independence of Judiciary. There's also a theory that Gogoi was blackmailed into getting favorable judgements by Modi Govt.)

 

A dictatorship requires control over military, national institutions and investigating agencies. But a dictatorship in India is a LEGAL dictatorship. While the entire Govt apparatus is highly corrupt & illegitimate - it appears formal, legitimate & normal from outside. This is a facade of legality. BJP dictatorship has shredded the constitution, laws & regulations & subverted the basic democratic structure of this country - but all its policies are legal!!

Supreme Court gives full backing to all the illegal & unconstitutional policies of the government. The pattern of SC's support to Modi is crystal clear. Modi controls judges on SC & use them in supporting his policies. Indira Gandhi once aspired for a committed Judiciary. Judiciary with "executive minded" judges that will give legal backing to policies of executive branch of government - this is now a reality under Modi & Shah. Thus the policies of executive government becoming the law of the land automatically. This is in contrast to fundamental structure of India which is a constitutional republic. 

 

An executive branch of government cannot create laws violating the constitution. But SC backing to Modi Govt on Aadhar, New citizenship policy (CAA), Abrogation of Article 370 shows that SC has no interest in preserving constitution. Apart from backing illegal policies of Modi Govt, SC also covers up corruption, crimes and scandals of Modi Govt. This can be seen in cases on Sahara Birla Diaries, Judge Loya, Rafale Jet scam, Electoral Bonds, removal of CBI director, SC's support to Modi's puppets like Arnab Goswami, Bank defaulters cases, PM Cares fund etc. SC also supports all foolish, absurd & highly destructive policies of Modi Government. SC supports to Modi's policies on Demonetization, mass exodus of migrant workers during Covid-19 pandemic and many other instances shows how SC supports ludicrous policies of Modi. In recent times, SC has also become a force to gag public dissent & activists. Criticism of SC is met with Suo Moto Contempt of Court action by SC as seen in Prashant Bushan case where SC thinks criticism of SC judges on Twitter is unacceptable.

 

 

(Screenshot of Prashant Bushan Social Media message that lead to Contempt of Court conviction against him Photo - Counterview)

No matter how illegal, foolhardy, destructive & even unconstitutional Modi's policies are - there is a committed Judiciary backing these policies of Modi Govt. The constitution bench of SC has put cases involving Abrogation of Article 370 into deep freeze as if its no longer a priority. Public interest litigation on Citizenship amendment policy which is a clearly a violation of preamble of constitution & its secular structure and Habeas corpus petitions regarding Kashmir are also forgotten and ignored by SC. These critical matters are buried in the basement of SC, being delayed indefinitely so Modi's illegal policies will eventually become fait accompli with passage of time.

Street Power - Religious militant organizations - Underworld Gangsters & criminals - Dark forces to intimidate, harass & neutralize public & political opposition - Riots, Mob Lynchings and target killings of minorities, activists & journalists to create atmosphere of fear

Insignias of Hindutva Militant Organizations - Bajrang Dal, RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad). Hindutva is radical offshoot of Hinduism like Salafism & Wahabism in Islam

Apart from controlling the military & police, dictatorship also require street power to intimidate public, instill fear in general population and neutralizing government opposition through extralegal and extrajudicial means. This is where religious militant organizations and Gangsters come into play. Hindutva organizations like RSS, VHP, Sanatan wings etc are present nationwide & have lakhs of active members. These organization are used to carry out riots, killing of activists, & intimidating local people throughout the country.  Modi used these militant organization in Gujarat riots to consolidate his power by dividing the state on religious lines & reaping the majority Hindu vote.
 

Religious Hindutva militant Organization spawning across India - In Modi's India, Education is not a priority and with rising unemployment & poverty, youth & children get recruited into these militant organization.

Al Jazeera's 2015 Documentary on Hindu Fundamentalism.

(Modi & Shah's trail of Dead bodies. Left - Haren Pandya, Modi's rival BJP politician in Gujarat was assassinated. Center - Magistrate Loya, A Judge presiding on Criminal cases involving Amit Shah died mysteriously and Amit Shah was given a clean chit. Its widely believed that Judge Loya was murdered. Right - Social activist Gauri Lankesh, a critique of Religious militant organizations like RSS was brazenly shot dead outside her home.)

(BJP's Strongly connected to RSS. Left - RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Right - Ajay Bhisht, Chief minister of State of Uttar Pradesh. Ajay Bhist is also a member of RSS just like many other BJP politicians and ministers of Modi Govt. Modi himself is a lifetime member of RSS.)

 

 

Left -A Hindutva Group rally with Swords. Center - Delhi riots, Hindu Mob beating Muslim man. Right - Hindutva group hoist RSS flag on top of Rajasthan Courthouse in support of hate crime

 

Modi & Shah also controls Gangsters of underworld. Modi's opposition in Gujarat was Haren Pandya, a minister within his own party. He was killed & murder remains unsolved. Its widely believed that Modi & Shah got him assassinated through Gangster Sohrabuddin. Later this gangster was eliminated in fake police encounter. There is mountains of dead bodies in Modi's trail to power. The Gujarat model is now being implemented in entire India. The Delhi Riots, Mob lynchings of minorities, murders of Magistrate Brijgopal Loya, social activist Gauri Lankesh, and dozens of whistle blowers, RTI activists & independent journalists is the emulation of Gujarat model on national scale.

 

 

Financiers, Oligarchs & Plutocrats - A strategic partnership with corrupt Billionaires - Modi & Shah have unlimited political funding and full media support from corrupt Oligarchs & owners of business empires

 

( Indian Oligarchs and Modi's friends - Top left - Diamond merchant Mehul Chowksi who defrauded National Banks of Billions of Dollars, Top right - Mukesh Ambani - Among the richest person in the world has strong connections with Modi, Bottom left - Gautam Adani, a businessmen connected to Modi since early years of Modi's rule in Gujarat. Bottom right - Spiritual Guru & Businessmen Baba Ramdev )

Oligarchs & Plutocrats are an important part of Modi's dictatorship. In fact, they had a critical role in bringing Modi to power. Modi's dictatorship has not been fully consolidated and there are still elections every 5 years in various states, Councils and Central level. Big money is needed to fund Modi's election campaigns & other party activities. Modi & BJP's election campaigns are funded by Oligarchs & plutocrats. These Oligarchs are of diverse variety. Some of them are giants like Ambani & Adani with large complex web of businesses in Telecom, Energy, Finance, Infrastructure, Media companies etc. Some of Oligarchs are people like Ramdev & Ravi Shankar - Spiritual Gurus with Business empire in consumer goods, Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals (Snake Oil medicine) & variety of products.

Apart from illegal funding & Black money, Modi has now formalized the bribery in election campaigns by Electoral Bonds. Electoral Bonds are legal means by which India's oligarchs & Corporations can anonymously fund political parties.

 

 

(Social Activist Anjali Bhardwaj explains the scam & illegality of Electoral Bonds)

Some of the financiers secretly funding Modi are notorious white collar criminals - people like international Diamond merchants Nirav Modi & Mehul Chauksi are personal friends of Modi. These have defrauded National banks of India of Billions of $$$ and have escaped from country. These financiers remain on wanted list of our investigating agencies but continue to evade them. The only reason they are not in Indian prison is because of their connections with the BJP & Modi Govt.

The returns Oligarchs get from Modi are huge. Special favors, contracts of Government projects and most importantly wholesale acquisition of national assets of country in Privatization policies. No surprise that Stock prices & market capitalization of Modi's oligarchical friends have grown by multiple times. Privatization of healthcare, education, PSUs (Government owned corporations - Airlines, Banks, Insurance, Railways, Energy, Space Research), national Infrastructure like electricity, water distribution, highways, mass transit, Oil & Gas etc has been a key agenda of Modi's economic policy. Former politician & public intellectual, Arun Shourie, described Modi Govt as a private enterprise working only for special interests who are personal friends of Modi.

Another important contribution of these Oligarchs is giving free media platform to Modi & BJP. People think that Modi controls the media, which is partly true. But actually Modi's partnership with media is part of broader Corporate-BJP nexus where Oligarch owners of Business empires including many media houses have dedicated their platforms for promotion of BJP.

These journalists & news anchors are India's version of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hanity & Alex Jones. Most news channels are like Fox News & Rush Limbaugh's Radio in India.

Conclusion

 

 

With control over these five power centers, the dictatorship is expanded to all other spheres of governance. Institutions like Election Commission, CIC, Reserve Bank of India, National Banks & PSUs and other Government departments & autonomous institutions are made to kowtow to Modi & Shah's policies. An atmosphere of fear is created in Government offices where officers are afraid to take independent decisions and decisions unfavorable to Modi & Shah and ruling BJP party. The fear of dictatorship is not limited to government offices but reaches far & wide into private corporations, independent media, social activists and daily lives of common people. Any private corporation which disagrees with Modi's policy will be dealt with investigations by Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department or other regulatory authorities. A news reporter or anchor who criticize ruling BJP party is removed from his job by pressurizing owners of that news channel. News channel critical of ruling party BJP & Modi can be shutdown on flimsy grounds of national security. Activists and Citizens protesting against Government polices are brutally crushed with Police force, sedition & anti-terror laws and jailing Government critics without trials.