In India, Narendra Modi’s populist BJP government has stripped back rights further than in almost any advanced democracy. The country’s COVID response has caused nightmarish problems for the world’s most populous country. And now we’ve seen a bizarre hand-to-hand clash with Chinese troops on the Himalayan border. Is India on the verge of historic trouble? The Guardian’s southern Asia correspondent HANNAH ELLIS-PETERSEN explains the BJP’s mix of religious fanaticism and 21st century troll politics to Dorian Lynskey.

“Modi’s COVID response has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in 50 years.”
“COVID has been branded a ‘Muslim disease’… The BJP are calling it ‘Corona Jihad’.”
“The BJP is accusing democracy protestors of being terrorists.”
“Even before Coronavirus, India’s healthcare was already on the brink of collapse.”

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Daily: INDIA’s twilight of democracy