India’s public discourse today is marked by a degree of political and social polarisation unprecedented in recent decades. In such a charged environment, every announcement made by an interested party—particularly when supported by selective data or anecdotal references—demands careful scrutiny. Yet, increasingly, information is received not with curiosity or scepticism but through rigid filters of ideological alignment.

What is most troubling in this moment is not disagreement itself, which is intrinsic to democracy, but the manner in which data and statistics are deployed. Instruments once meant to illuminate complex realities are now routinely used to reinforce pre-existing beliefs. Data, which should function like streetlights—casting light to dispel darkness—has instead become a convenient pole on which narratives are propped up.

This tendency is evidenced in recent developments: a social media post by US President Donald Trump referring to the Indo-US trade deal, the release of the Economic Survey ahead of the Union Budget, and the sharply polarised responses to these events. Each episode has generated competing interpretations, often based on selective reading rather than comprehensive understanding.

Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform offers a clear illustration. Within hours of his limited public statement, opposing camps in India quickly constructed definitive conclusions. Critics of Prime Minister Modi portrayed the development as a diplomatic capitulation, while supporters claimed it reflected quiet strategic success, arguing that India’s steadfast position had compelled concessions from the United States. The same fragment of information produced contradictory narratives, each presented with absolute........

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