Asia | India’s development

Narendra Modi’s tough medicine

The Hindu-nationalist prime minister is governing India as he governed Gujarat

A child in Ranchi's squalid Jorar basti, an illegal, informal, squatter settlement where the community lives in mud-stained, makeshift tents, surrounded by a large landfill stalked by rabid dogs.The occupants of the informal settlement make a living sewer cleaning, known as manual scavenging, which was made illegal in India in 1993, yet the highly dangerous practice remains widespread today. It is undertaken by the Dalits, the lowest caste in India sometimes known as 'untouchables'.
|AHMEDABAD

Agashiye, a popular restaurant in Ahmedabad, serves only one thing: Gujarati thali. But the dish contains multitudes: curries, pulses, veggies and sweets, along with flatbreads, rice, salad, pickles, poppadums and more. Its fans say the thali strikes the perfect balance. But that depends how it is consumed. Presented with a plate featuring greens next to fried delights and thick, sweet cream, few diners choose to gorge on cabbage.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Gujaratification”

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