NO

Not by definition

Democracy means a “government of the people, for the people, by the people”. Currently, there are diverse groups of people and if their interests are not met, conflicts arise. There is a dominant class in every society that pledges to fulfil the interests of many such groups, influencing them to carry out their propaganda through powerful social drummers such as the media. As a result, the common mass is exposed to whatever the dominant class wishes to transmit through the media. This is still “of the people, by the people”, so we cannot say democracy is threatened.

Arunima Dutta,
Second year, Rani Birla Girls’ College, Calcutta

YES

Speech is muzzled

In a democracy, the people are the real rulers. When the voices of these people are subdued, when the freedom of speech and expression just becomes a line in the Constitution, where raising your voice against wrongs is seen as a crime, then democracy indeed is under threat.

Srideepta Neogy,
Class XI, St Agnes’ Convent School, Howrah

Exploiting Covid-19

In present times, the freedom, health and dignity of people are being put at stake. Leaders around the world are using the coronavirus crisis to grab power and advance their political objectives by clamping down on human rights and civil liberties.

Soujanyaa Ghosh,
First year, Narula College of Technology, Calcutta

Lose faith

The Covid-19 pandemic is increasing poverty, hunger, inflation and unemployment. Many a government is unable to cope with it. As a result, people may lose faith in the democratically elected governments, allowing dictatorships to raise their ugly head.

Shreya Maji,
Class X, Assembly of God Church School, Asansol

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