India cracked down further on anti-government protests that have grown substantially in recent months, escalating from attacking the authorities over education to frustration with what critics see as broader threats to the country’s democracy. Three leaders of an upstart political party were jailed and an historic protest site in central New Delhi — “the country’s most recognizable stage for public dissent,” per AFP — was shut down.
The latest demonstrations have centered around a review of India’s electoral rolls that has led to an estimated 130 million people being barred from voting. Opponents of the effort say it has targeted minorities and critics of the ruling Hindu nationalist party; in Delhi, for example, The Hindu reported that Muslims were disproportionately affected.