Ahead Of Defence Secretary Visit, Concern In US About India's Democracy

India has been prickly in its reaction to criticism over its handling of the farmers' protest.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin - the first member of the newly elected Joe Biden administration who will be on a visit to India starting tomorrow -- has been asked to raise concerns about democracy in the country with Indian officials. In a letter to him, Senator Robert Menendez has pointed out that while US and India's partnership is "critical to meet the challenges of the 21st Century", the partnership "must rest on adherence to democratic values". The Indian government, he added, "has been trending away from those values". In his letter, Senator Menendez wrote: "The Indian government's ongoing crackdown on farmers peacefully protesting new farming laws and corresponding intimidation of journalists and government critics only underscores the deteriorating situation of democracy in India. Moreover, in recent years, rising anti-Muslim sentiment and related government actions like the Citizenship Amendment Act, the suppression of political dialogue and arrest of political opponents following the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, and the use of sedition laws to persecute political opponents have resulted in the U.S. human rights group Freedom House stripping India of its 'Free' status in its yearly global survey". India has been prickly in its reaction to criticism over its handling of the farmers' protest. The tweet by pop icon Rihanna on the farmers' protest, which was picked up and commented on by US political leaders, had triggered a huge row. The government had warned against the "temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments".