History has shown us, time and again, how nations fall into the trap of authoritarianism when people surrender their freedom to the illusion of a “strong leader.” Today, India finds itself on a dangerous edge, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s style of governance bears uncomfortable similarities with Mao in China, Stalin in the Soviet Union, and Hitler in Nazi Germany. The echoes are chilling, and the consequences, if ignored, could be catastrophic.
The Cult of Personality
Mao, Stalin, and Hitler thrived on the creation of an unshakable cult of personality. They made themselves the unquestionable symbols of their nations. Modi is walking down the same path. His image is plastered everywhere — from Viksit Bharat campaigns to international stagecraft like the G20 summit. Even natural disasters or government schemes are marketed as if they are Modi’s personal achievements. This is not leadership; this is the systematic erasure of collective democratic responsibility.
Suppression of Dissent
A thriving democracy depends on debate and dissent. Mao silenced critics as “counter-revolutionaries.” Stalin labeled them “enemies of the people.” Hitler demonized them as “traitors to the nation.” Today in India, journalists face raids like those on NewsClick, opposition leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren face arrests, and activists from the Bhima Koregaon case remain behind bars without fair trial. Students and professors who question government policies are branded “anti-national.” Dissent is no longer seen as patriotism — it is painted as betrayal.
Nationalism as a Weapon
Hitler fueled hatred by dividing Germans against Jews and others. Stalin used nationalism to crush minorities. Mao ignited propaganda campaigns to create an “enemy within.” Modi’s politics of Hindutva has sharpened divisions between Hindus and Muslims, upper castes and lower castes, insiders and outsiders. The silence on atrocities in Manipur, the bulldozer politics in Uttar Pradesh, and the systematic targeting of minorities through laws like CAA-NRC reveal how nationalism is being weaponized. When a leader thrives on dividing people, unity and democracy are the first casualties.
Weakening of Institutions
Strongmen of the past hollowed out institutions until they existed only in name. Stalin bent courts and parliaments to his will. Mao replaced independent voices with party loyalists. Hitler destroyed Germany’s democratic Weimar structures. Today, India’s Parliament is reduced to a stage for one-sided legislation, while courts hesitate to challenge executive power. The Election Commission faces accusations of bias, media houses act as propaganda arms, and universities are pressured into ideological conformity. Without strong institutions, democracy cannot survive.
The Call to Resist
Mao’s China witnessed mass deaths. Stalin’s Soviet Union drowned in purges. Hitler’s Germany burned in war and genocide. Each nation thought “it cannot happen here” until it was too late. India is now standing at a similar crossroads. The signals are clear: the silencing of voices, the rise of propaganda, the demonization of minorities, and the glorification of one man.
This is not the time for silence. It is the time for citizens to rise, to question, to organize, and to reclaim their democracy. We must demand accountability from the government, defend the independence of institutions, and protect the voices of journalists, activists, and ordinary people who dare to speak truth to power.
History is not just a record of the past — it is a mirror of the present. If India fails to act, we may soon wake up in a country where democracy exists only in name, and dictatorship rules in disguise.
The choice is ours — to resist now, or regret forever.