Goa, Oct. 26 -- SOTER D'SOUZA

A hostile State machin ery which resorts to indiscriminate use of force against its own citi zens to crush dissent and disrupt peaceful street pro tests is definitely no sign of a healthy and progressive democracy. The replay of a toxic colonial script hiding behind attractive progres sive labels of 'Acche din', 'Am rit Kaal' and 'Vikasit Bharat' has now been adequately exposed by the current stu dents' unrest across the country.

The intolerant and abusive governance pattern increasingly encountered by citizens to voices of dissent has a striking resemblance to an undeclared emergen cy. If not, how else can one explain the political climate prevailing in the coun try, wherein a government weaponises nationa...