# Devy and Nehru on democracy: fearlessness needed against personality cults 2026-08-09T14:11:48+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet In a National Herald India opinion piece, G.N. Devy argues that democracy in India is being hollowed out by state domination and empty rituals. He calls on citizens to re-articulate the democratic ideal with moral courage and fearlessness, even to the point of risking jail. Devy also urges a wider vision, 'cosmo-democracy', that includes rights for minorities, children, and non-human life. The Hindu, in a separate essay, recalls Jawaharlal Nehru's 1937 anonymous warning against 'Caesarism' and B.R. Ambedkar's 1949 caution that 'bhakti in politics is a sure road to dictatorship'. Both figures, the article argues, feared that hero-worship would stunt India's republican habits, scepticism, argument, participation, and lead to a slow erosion of democratic culture. ## Coverage - nationalheraldindia.com - thehindu.com Tags: civil disobedience, cosmo-democracy, democracy crisis, G.N. Devy, Kasturba Gandhi, moral courage Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/g-n-devy-citizens-must-lose-fear-of-jail-to-reclaim-democracy/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/g-n-devy-citizens-must-lose-fear-of-jail-to-reclaim-democracy/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.