Renowned French Political Scientist Christophe Jaffrelot Delivers Talk at London School of Economics

Esteemed French political scientist, Christophe Jaffrelot, delivered a captivating lecture at an event hosted by the London School of Economics, where he discussed his latest book, ‘Gujarat Under Modi: Laboratory of Today’s India’. The book channels the focus towards an examination of India’s surveillance evolution, especially spotlighting the years when Narendra Modi and Amit Shah ruled in Gujarat.

‘Gujarat Under Modi: Laboratory of Today’s India’- A Work of More than Two Decades

Jaffrelot’s masterpiece, the result of two decades of meticulous research, dissects the socio-political changes that Gujarat underwent during Modi’s tenure. Jaffrelot confessed a yearning to incorporate a chapter investigating India’s conversion into a surveillance state, which unfortunately wasn’t possible due to a scarcity of all-encompassing data.

The Journey of the Book: From ‘High Risk’ to Publishing

Interestingly, the book survived several odds. His publishers, who were also his legal counsellors, branded the book as ‘high risk,’ suggesting certain parts that could prove offensive to Gujarat’s populace be excluded. In the wake of their advice, Jaffrelot initially contemplated shelving the publication of the book.

Documenting History to Prevent It from Being Forgotten

However, Jaffrelot stressed on the indispensability of recording the events that transpired in Gujarat two decades ago. He harboured the apprehension of these crucial historical events being lost in the shadows should history undergo a revision.