The economist said the ruling party should want a better opposition to keep it under check.

India's overall score fell from 7.23 in 2018 to 6.90 in the Index that provides a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and two territories.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying repeated Chinese accusations that the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act “seriously interfered” in Hong Kong's internal affairs, and appeared to back up China's threats that the U.S. would bear the costs of the decision.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the Congress of dynasty politics, the Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said no one could stop anyone from joining politics in a democracy.

Shashi Tharoor urged PM Modi to assure the nation of his commitment to upholding the freedom of expression even when it involves disagreement with him or his government.

US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, while welcoming Prime Minister Modi at the event on Sunday, had invoked Mahatma Gandhi and India's first prime minister Nehru in his speech.

The home minister said in this scenario, the nation in 2014 gave a resounding majority to the Narendra Modi-led government, an absolute majority government for the first time in 30 years.

Wishing citizens on the occasion of International Day of Democracy, Banerjee asked people to take a pledge to safeguard the constitutional values envisaged by the founding fathers of the nation.

Charlie Cole won the 1990 World Press Photo award for his picture which became a defining image of the 1989 pro-democracy protests.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's remarks come a day after a delegation of opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were denied entry into Srinagar and were sent back to Delhi.