Today, 10 June, Narendra Modi became the prime minister to govern for the longest period in independent India, surpassing the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru.

A few weeks ago, Modi completed 12 years in office. These twin occasions are being used by the BJP’s propaganda machinery to further elevate his image. Full-page advertisements by chief ministers of BJP-ruled states have appeared in major newspapers, highlighting what they describe as the great achievements of this period.

Claims such as monthly ration support for 81 crore poor people, 4 crore PM Awas houses, 10.5 crore Ujjwala LPG connections and 12 crore toilets are being prominently showcased. Also being highlighted are 32 crore Jan Dhan accounts, Metro networks, skill training programmes for youth, Ayushman Bharat, free treatment for people aged above 70 (up to Rs 5 lakh), defence exports, and welfare measures for farmers and the middle class. The construction of the grand Ram Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Kedarnath Dham and Mahakal Lok is also being underlined.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has gone a step further by advertising the establishment of Sanskrit schools in every district, the setting up of Hindu studies centres in Doon University, the inclusion of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in school curricula, and the promotion of tourism linked to Hindu and Sikh places of worship.

In reality, the very foundations of democracy, which were painstakingly laid by our freedom fighters and nurtured by Nehru, are being eroded day by day. India has witnessed a steady decline in global democracy indices, with several international agencies describing the country as an 'electoral autocracy'. Freedom of the press and freedom of religion have seen a parallel decline.

Attention to these concerns was drawn by none other than BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani, now sidelined within the party, who remarked that an undeclared........

© National Herald