• Since 2020 know about violence in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Why is India stable amongst an unstable neighborhood?

Extreme violence in Nepal shocked many. Prior to this was Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. In these cases violence lead to change in government. So why is India not like them?

Simply put, the violence in these countries got aggravated because the incumbent governments came down heavily on protestors some of whom died. Corruption, inflation, unemployment, lack of vision added to the anger. India escaped from a similar situation during UPA2 widely regarded as the most corrupt government ever.

Nevertheless attempts to arouse public, fuel anarchy failed so far.

Let us look at country-wise causes of violence from 2020 onwards. Read on.  

1. India – 2020 Protest against CAA and Farm Laws

The CAA bill came into force in early January 2020. The Farm Law bills were initiated in September 2020.

Protests against CAA were at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi amongst others It continued till February-March 2020 till the outbreak of Covid19 forcing dispersal of protestors. Many criticized the government for not stopping the protestors from blocking the road that caused inconvenience to travelers and loss to business. 

Protest against Farm Laws were mainly by farmers from Punjab and some from Western Uttar Pradesh. The camped close to the Haryana-Delhi border causing inconvenience to public and losses to local industry.  Ordinance was promulgated in June 2020, kept in abeyance by Supreme Court in January 2021. Ironically, protests continued after the SC order. On 26/1/2021 farmer protestors held a Tractor Rally and hoisted a flag on Red Fort. The farm laws were withdrawn in November 2021.

The government did not respond to provocations and violence. SC judges who stayed implementation of laws feared there would be a repeat of the violence and hurt Sikh sentiments like in November 1982 when Akali leader Harchand Singh Longowal said the Akali Dal would demonstrate in Delhi during the Asian Games.

Instead, Delhi Police were beaten by Sikhs on 26/1/2021. Read  Decoding scrapping of farm laws

A Sikh is by nature ready to make the supreme sacrifice for a cause dear to them. The Centre understood this and denied Sikhs a chance to become shahid. If protestors had died in police action, would be constructed a memorial for those who died during protests (no fault of Centre). Read 95 year old Nihang dies at protest site

Long and short, the Central Government allowed the protestors to protest but did not let the Police or Paramilitary Forces to respond. If the Centre had responded like former PM Mrs Gandhi did in 1982, it would have given a fillip to protests. Given the nature of protests and attempts to create anarchy many saw this as a move to topple the Modi government.

I and many wondered why the Centre was not responding with force. After seeing violence in neighboring countries understand!

Were the farmer protests political?

The late Sunil Jain (Managing Editor of Financial Express) wrote in November 2020, “The agitation is purely an attempt to corner the Modi government, to boost the sagging fortunes of the Congress party by deliberately misleading farmers. That is why, before Captain Amarinder Singh decided to fuel the agitation, he used to be batting for increased diversification to non-MSP crops/livestock in the state.”

2. Bangladesh 2024 

According to an article in OpIndia “The turmoil in Bangladesh started in early 2024, and centered on a contentious quota system for government posts. The Court’s decision to keep a sizable proportion of jobs for specific groups, notably descendants of freedom fighters and women, prompted great outrage among university students. It all started over decision of the High Court to reinstate 30% reservation in government jobs to the descendants of the freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War. What started as peaceful protests soon took a violent turn.”

In the first phase 32 people died. Then, the country was dealing with “high inflation, dwindling foreign reserves, and rising unemployment.”

In phase 2, two died and 150 injured. “This came just two weeks after the country’s Supreme Court reduced the percentage of reserved government jobs from 56% to 7%. On 18^th July the Army was called out.”

Thereafter, protestors demanded the resignation of PM Hasina. “While protests turned violent as conflicts between protestors and police became frequent, the violence worsened when the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) started to magnify the protests, using them to undermine the ruling Awami League government.” 

Sheikh Hasina government fell, she fled the country. Interim government not stabilized situation after a year. Bangladesh had a mixture of army rule and having democratically elected governments. Now moving closer to China and USA. Read Chronology of Unrests in Bangladesh

The falling Hindu population in Bangladesh symbolizes the mindset of the majority.

Summary of causes and India Comparison

Inflation, Unemployment, Reservations, deaths during protests, competition between religious and political parties.

In India inflation is low, violent protests against reservations took place around 1990 and the focus is on governance and cultural nationalism even though unemployment is an issue. Focus is on rediscovering the Soul of Bharat.

3. Sri Lanka – 2022

Severe economic crisis accentuated by Covid19. Shortage of basic goods. Government accused of being corrupt and inefficient. Chinese deb-trap. Tourism falls. May 9 PM M Rajapaksa resigns after protests turned violent, excessive force used. July 2022, Parliament elects Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new President. Protests decrease due to improvement in economic situation. India helped. Ranil steered the economy through a difficult period. To read more Anura Kumara won elections in September 2024 and became President.

Summary of causes

Economic crisis, shortage of basis goods, corruption and failure of political leadership. Public saw through the games to cling on to power. This time failed.

The biggest achievement of this NDA government is macro-economic stability.   

4. Nepal- 2025 

Governments bans 26 apps-social media platforms. Thousands of demonstrators known as Gen Z protested near Parliament. Police used tear gas etc to disperse crowds leaving 20 dead. Situation escalated. PM Oli resigned on September 9.

By way of background – popular arising began in 1990 that resulted in curbing role of monarchy. In mid-1990s Maoist Insurgency took shape. In 2005 King Birendra dissolved Parliament and assumed direct rule. Elections for a Constituent Assembly took place in 2008 and monarchy abolished. In the 17 years since Nepal became a republic, Nepal had 15 governments. New constitution adopted in 2015. Due to a fractured verdict the three parties assumed power by turn. Public anger grew, non-performance added fuel. Last straw banning of 25 apps. 1

Summary of causes and India Comparison

Corruption, musical chairs by political parties, unemployment, deaths during protests, country heading nowhere and lack of national vision amongst political leadership.

Conversely, In India inflation low, Viksit Bharat 2047 goal, rising stock market, venture capital funding for start-ups, macro-economic stability, GST Reforms etc. The government is seen to be responding to people’s problems.

Is India stable because of the Constitution

Chief Justice of India Shri Gavai cites violence in Nepal/Bangladesh to underline strength of the Indian Constitution. Ours is a Colonial Constitution.

Why is India stable amongst an unstable neighborhood?

This needs a separate article but in brief - 

1. The Constituent Assembly did well to finalise the constitution in 2 years i.e. by 1950 unlike Pakistan which did in 1956 whilst Nepal took seven years. Read Why democracy failed in Pakistan

2. India being a Hindu majority country has a great ability to suffer hardship, takes a lot to arouse them. Got training during invasions by the Muslims and Christians. Hindus were massacred by Sikh terrorists in the 1980s but still visit Hari Mandir (Golden Temple) because they see the underlying unity. 

Nepal is Hindu but modern day Nepal was a monarchy for most period since formed. Quality governance and good management are needed, being Hindu is important but not enough.

3. Secularism in India has meant that the importance of Indic Civilization as the reason for India being democratic is rarely spoken. V.I. Sreenivas wrote in the Bhavan’s Journal (31/3/2021 issue), “Although democracy has gained ascendency in modern times, the principles of rule of law (an important part of democracy) was extolled by our sages since antiquity. Dharma shastras made it clear that the king exists for the welfare of the people and not the other way around. In other words, the ruler was not sovereign but the law was.” Read How Democracy evolved in India

4. Unlike Bangladesh and to an extent Nepal, the Army is apolitical – never undertook a coup to rule the country.

5. Macro-economic stability and low inflation. Innovation like Jan-Dhan-Yojana. 

6. The way the Central and State governments responded during the Pandemic is praiseworthy. Governments in India are more responsive today than before. 

7. Former foreign secretary J N Dixit wrote in Anatomy of a Flawed Inheritance, “Had democratic institutions evolved in the natural course in Pakistan its policies would have been tempered by the collective aspirations of the masses i.e. peace and development.”

8. Lt Gen P R Shankar (retd) adds, “Federal Structure of government, Independent and Autonomous Institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Armed Forces under the President not the Executive and Diversity driven balance.”

Also read

1. Political Meltdown in Nepal was a long time coming by R Sood, former Ambassador to Nepal.

2. Why India works and why Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh keep breaking down

3. Decoding scrapping of farm laws

4. How Democracy evolved in India

While India struggled during and after post Nehru it remained a democracy at all times. Conversely, Pakistan was under martial law in 1958, 1969 and 1977, no PM completed a five year term, PM’s Liaquat Ali and Benazir Bhutto were assassinated and Bhutto hanged. Four Generals assumed power Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Musharraf.