Cleanliness campaigns in India these days invoke Mahatma Gandhi, but the iconic leader’s vision for the country went far beyond sanitation. Gandhi’s writings and speeches reveal a broader mission that contrasts sharply with the current direction of Indian governance.

A brutal lynching during the recent Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in Delhi resulted in the death of 26-year-old Isar Mohammad, highlighting the increasing incidence of extrajudicial violence in India. This disturbing trend has repercussions not only for the victim and their community, but also carries wider implications for society at large.