What do the population census, crime data, hate crimes, household consumption, India's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, Covid-19 deaths, Air Quality Index (AQI) and the Congress' Vote Chori allegations have in common? A pattern of data denial under the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. In many cases, data has not been collected for years. In others, it is missing, calculated using methods that diverge from global standards, rejected when it comes from international agencies, or tightly gatekept. But no data does not mean no crisis. Without reliable numbers, how is the government identifying vulnerable groups or ensuring taxpayer-funded welfare schemes reach the intended beneficiaries? This story examines how the NDA government’s data gaps are affecting accountability — and costing ordinary citizens.
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