At the launch of Vaiko’s book, he didn’t mince words: the Election Commission and Judiciary must be freed from government influence. Why? Because when institutions rely on the ruling party, citizens lose faith. He called J&K’s demotion a ‘practice ground’; hinting it could happen elsewhere. That’s scary. Democracy thrives on trust; and right now, that trust is fragile. His message? Protect diversity, empower institutions, or risk losing the soul of India. This isn’t politics; it’s a survival manual for Indian democracy.