India, June 24 -- I am writing this column from the land of opportunities that has, for long, been the destination for the dreamy-eyed, and last week I visited the iconic place that encapsulated all that this vast nation stood for: freedom, democracy, and hope. The very symbol of freedom is being recast in the mould of modern-day servitude. It might have been my imagination. Or perhaps it was the echo of the silent protests unfurling elsewhere in New York City that day. One thing, however, is clear: people everywhere are more circumspect now.
They are wary of encroachment; of being silenced; of losing their livelihoods - in short, of everything that would rob their peace of mind. There is fear everywhere, and it is making people feel like ...