'Democracy That We Are Witnessing Is A Bloodspot': Prof Sunil Khilnani At ABP's Idea Of India Summit

In conversation with Shashi Tharoor, Prof Khilnani highlighted that how politics has redefined castes, and in turn has reconstituted religion. 

Prof Sunil Khilnani. (Image Source: ABP)

Speaking at the ABP Network's Ideas of India Summit, Professor Sunil Khilnani started off his address by highlighting the paradox of democracy, in which he began with the discourses suorrounding early 2000s where there were more democracies than dictatorship and how after 24 years things have changed.

Addressing the paradox of electoral process, Prof Khilnani stated: "I like to start with a paradox thats been on my mind lately. This year, more people than ever in the human history, around 4 billion of them will have a chance to cast their votes. From Brazil to India, citizens will choose leaders by participating in a crucial practice of democracy. This is the prospect that might make some democrats gritty, except for the fact that at the very same moment, a global democratic revolution that seemed eminent at the start of 21st century, seems now to have stalled. Historical landmark of early 2000s was that for the first time, there were more democracies than dictatorship across the world. 20 years later, dictatorships have rallied." 

Prof Khilnani in his speech pointed out that how admired democratic nations such as United States, India, and United Kingdom have started to "do covertly sometimes defiantly, shockingly undemocratic things."

Listing out the "undemocratic practices," Prof Khilnani stated: "Calling into the question, the very practice of elections, attempting to sabotage electoral results, imprisoning opponents, removing the transparency of how political parties are funded, appointing supporters to watch the opposition, suppressing the investigative media, using the law to silence the critics, and systematically using disinformation to manipulate citizens. All of this if simply said points out that how the binaries between autocracies and democracies is a bit absurd." 

In conversation with Shashi Tharoor, Prof Khilnani highlighted that how politics has redefined castes, and in turn has reconstituted religion. 

"In the 1980s and 90s politics redefined castes. They were created by law and politics. Similarly, politics has reconstituted religion. Politics is connecting different sects," Prof Khilnani stated. 

"If we think of our identities as political, they are bound to change," he added.

"Politics has reconstituted religion. Politics is connecting different sects," says Prof. Sunil Khilnani, Historian and Political Scientist in a conversation with Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor)

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"We pretend, and we even delude ourselves. The democracy we like to speak off seems as a colorful carnival of choice, while what we are actually witnessing is a bloodspot. If we don't face the ruthlessness of our systems, we won't challenge it, and it won't be changed," he stated. 

Debunking the electoral process, Prof Khilnani stated: "There has been a tendency to over emphasis the importance of an electoral moment in democracy. Wining of power seems to sanctions use of all sorts of power ultimately in unaccountable ways. There is also a tendency to forget that democracy is a complex system of differrent practices. One aspect of it is how the popular will is represented through elections. But there are also institutions which have to function impartially like courts, election commission, and other sorts of institutions."

"The way the Indian replublic was designed in which sovereignty wasn't centralised in one single entity. It was dispersed across different institutions which govern together in a system," he added.   

Sunil Khilnani serves as Professor of Politics and History at Ashoka University. Prior to his current position, Khilnani held the role of Avantha Professor and served as the founding Director of the India Institute at King’s College London. From 2002 to 2011, he assumed the role of Starr Foundation Professor and founding Director of South Asia Studies at the John Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington D.C.

The Ideas Of India Summit 3.0

The 'Ideas Of India Summit' is ABP Network's flagship yearly event, addressing a wide range of themes that affect everyday life, including politics, business, entertainment, geopolitics, literature, education, and more. This year's summit, scheduled for February 23 and 24, right before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, will focus on 'The People's Agenda'.

This follows the huge success of the previous two editions, 'Naya India' and 'Open-Minds Open Minds', which investigated the ideas and concepts that enthralled India. The third edition likewise promises a rollercoaster of stimulating talks.

Watch Ideas Of India Summit 3.0 Live