There are two new political hot spots in Asia, and they're a long way from the tear gas-shrouded streets of downtown Hong Kong.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's embrace of hardline Hindu nationalism at the expense of the country's secular roots has brought thousands to the streets. The army has sent troops in to restore order.
Sparked by a new law that prevents undocumented Muslim migrants from neighboring countries receiving citizenship, the demonstrations have reached the capital, New Delhi, as well as other major cities and threaten to spill over into worsening communal violence.
It's a far cry from the investor-friendly, open-for-business image Modi projects during his frequent international visits.
In Thailand, the government's efforts to break up the highest-profile opposition party prompted a rare display of defiance against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha's military-backed administration.
The protests in Bangkok Saturday follow a sustained effort by the courts and the Election Commission to break up the Future Forward Party and drive its charismatic leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit out of politics.
With unemployment at a more than four-decade high in India and growth slowing, and Thailand still recovering from four years of military rule, neither government can afford to take its focus off the economy — especially not for crises of their own making.
— Ruth Pollard
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