Lit Fest 2016: PM Narendra Modi, Indira Gandhi have similarities, says Ramchandra Guha

Historian Ramachandra Guha said he saw “interesting similarities“ between Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi, but it was “too early to say" if he was her true political heir. In response to a question after his keynote address, "India@70", he also suggested it might be better if Modi took more decisions without consulting his party president.

“He embodies... the party, the government and the nation is all him, he only trusts one person," Guha said.

The historian summed up the country's 70 years thus: “The republic of India is very much a work in progress.“ He said political, social, cultural and economic freedoms in India were greater today than 70 years ago but fell short of what had been desired by the country's founders. Speaking about religious pluralism, he said, “Muslims are freer to practise their faith in India than they are in China...but... suffer disproportionately in times of communal rioting. Even in times of peace they can be stigmatized. Most recently this gau rakshak nonsense..."

“But our political freedom is qualified, it is not complete,“ Guha said, adding that social freedom is constrained by caste prejudice even today. As far as cultural freedom goes, when it comes to writers and artists, “India is much less free than a proper democracy should be," he said. Guha ruled out the possibility of India being ruled by a dictator. “Indira Gandhi tried..." he said.