Updated March 5th, 2021 at 12:25 IST
'Woke' US NGO Freedom House claims India only 'partly free' & butchers map; gets an earful
In its latest report, a US-govt funded NGO Freedom House, has said that India’s status as a democracy & free society has been downgraded to ‘partly free’
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In its latest annual report, Freedom House - which describes itself as an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world - has said that India’s status as a democracy and free society has been downgraded to ‘partly free’. In doing so, it has also done one more thing to irk Indians globally - post a completely butchered map of the country.
'Political rights & civil rights eroded in India,' claims US NGO
The US government-funded NGO, in its report titled 'Freedom in the World 2021 - Democracy under Siege' said, "India, the world’s most populous democracy, dropped from Free to Partly Free status in Freedom in the World 2021. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its state-level allies continued to crack down on critics during the year, and their response to COVID-19 included a ham-fisted lockdown that resulted in the dangerous and unplanned displacement of millions of internal migrant workers." The 'ham-fisted' claim coming from a country that has a third of India's population but almost 3.5 times the fatalities.
BREAKING: India is not rated "Free" in Freedom in the World 2021. Political rights and civil liberties have eroded in India since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014, causing the country to drop from Free to Partly Free in 2020. #FreedomInTheWorld https://t.co/HuNzEAc6Nw pic.twitter.com/mae0CmGpi5
— Freedom House (@freedomhouse)
"The ruling Hindu nationalist movement also encouraged the scapegoating of Muslims, who were disproportionately blamed for the spread of the virus and faced attacks by vigilante mobs. Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, Modi and his party are tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism," the report said.
In 2018, 2019, and 2020, India had been rated as “free” in Freedom House’s reports, though its scores on a scale of 100 had declined during this period from 77 to 71, according to Outlook.
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'Why should anyone take you seriously?'
Several Indian netizens have rejected the report and responded sharply to it. Some alleged that the Freedom House has been paid to create this report. Many also disagreed saying that they have "full freedom" in India and also pointed out the incorrect map of India used in the report. The report deliberately excluded the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir from the map of India.
I am an Indian Citizen and professional and have utmost freedom. Your report will be useful only for the politicians of opposite parties, media houses, islamists and NGOs getting funds to create unrest in India. Perhaps you were also paid handsomely by them to create this report.
— Rajeev Sharma (@rajrra)
You think we Indians care for your bigoted opinion?https://t.co/4ZsD8pngg0
— Poha_Jalebi (@IndoreNagpur)
The mutilated map of India tells us who are you & what are your compulsions.
— Dummi's_uncle (@Smart_Dummi)
FYI, Latest India map. pic.twitter.com/ifbqiZ9siu
— പതിനൊന്ന് (@pathinonnu)
Correct Indian map first pic.twitter.com/0tWEng9hHs
— VAZY° 🇮🇳 (@un7011)
When you can't even get the map of India right why should anyone take you seriously?
— SanksP 🇮🇳🏴 (@SanksP)
First of all, Update your map of Bharat (India) then talk about freedom.
— Yogesh Gareja 🇮🇳 (@Yogesh_Gareja)
Respected PM @narendramodi, HM @AmitShah & MEA @DrSJaishankar, If you really care about Sovereignty & Integrity of Bharat, than look into this matter.#FreedomHouseUpdateYourMap
An independent watchdog that doesn't even know How to draw internal boundaries talks about being "independent". Go back to drawing board !!! Correct the Map.
— VirtualSid (@VirtualSid)
As you can see freedom is alive in india. But not the opinion you would like are expressed.
— Don Vito (@corhanhagen)
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Published March 4th, 2021 at 15:17 IST