New Delhi, March 19 Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday that India still retains space for dissent, but warned of a growing trend of "delegitimising" it, while political analyst Yogendra Yadav cautioned that the country is witnessing not just democratic backsliding but a deeper "dismantling of the republic".
They were speaking at the launch of former Union minister Ashwani Kumar's book, titled "Guardians of the Republic", a collection of essays on the Constitution, justice, and the future of Indian democracy.
Tharoor noted that the ability to publicly express critical views shows that India has not yet become an autocracy, but termed the increasing tendency to undermine dissent "worrying".
"The fact that we can still speak, criticise, and debate shows we are not yet an autocracy," he said, while cautioning against what he called "delegitimising of dissent".
"I have not given up on Indian democracy," the former diplomat said.
On parliamentary proceedings, he said, "It is unfortunate that disruptions often overshadow substantive discussions," adding that "Parliament should be used more for reasoned debate and legislative scrutiny rather than frequent adjournments".
"But mine is a very small minority view in the opposition," the Congress MP said.
Yadav said the current phase in India goes beyond routine democratic decline.
"This is not just democratic backsliding, this is a dismantling of the republic," he said, arguing that institutional erosion is taking place in a deeper and more structural manner. He added that "the question is not whether people will respond, but when", attributing public silence partly to fear and the influence of a strong propaganda machinery.
Yadav said his entry into public life was a result of his experiences of the Emergency as a child, adding that he saw people rise against the government during the period.
"Today, to talk about what happened during the Emergency is like talking about the Holocaust standing in Gaza," he said.
Kumar underlined the importance of judicial review, calling it "an essential safeguard of our freedoms", and stressed the need for timely court hearings, particularly in matters of personal liberty.
"Guardians of the Republic" explores India's democratic journey, examining its promises, challenges, and the questions shaping its future. It reflects on how constitutional values are tested amid power struggles, polarisation, and public disillusionment, and raises fundamental questions about the role of institutions, such as the judiciary, in safeguarding rights.
Through a series of essays, the book discusses the importance and scope of judicial review in a parliamentary democracy, the meaning of liberty, equality, and justice in everyday life, and the risks posed when constitutional principles are overshadowed by political expediency.