A number of writers, artists, scientists, historians and filmmakers in the South Asian nation have openly slammed the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent days, accusing it of contributing to the "highly vitiated" atmosphere prevailing in the country.

Intellectuals cite repeated instances of banning books as well as threats and assassinations in the recent past as a sign of growing attempts by right-wing fringe elements to curtail freedoms and impose their ideologies on others.

About 53 historians, including Romila Thapar, recently released a joint statement saying that the current trend is particularly worrying. "What the regime seems to want is a kind of legislated history, a manufactured image of the past, glorifying certain aspects of it and denigrating others," they said.