Why it’s time for supporters to say goodbye to Modi?

Preeti Taneja

Entrepreneur | Posted on 30-Jan-2019

He helped the conservatives find their voice in the mainstream. In the process, he did empower right-wing’s hate-mongering and bigotry, but that’s a whole different topic altogether.

Aside from that, Narendra Damodardas Modi turned out to be just that -- a politician with big talks and some more big talks. To admit that, it comes quite with pain for a supporter like me who, along with millions, dreamt of a new India, in 2014, that’s centric to growth and liberalization. Of course, assuming Modi, BJP and “liberals” in the same line was risky. But it was a risk that felt like worth-taking for nation-building. After all, he had some great ideas then.

“Minimum government, maximum governance” felt like a hymn to ears in the midst of corrupt bureaucracy. “Congress mukht Bharat” felt like a much-needed break from Congress’s extreme socialist policies that paved a way to more wrongs than goods.

Modi was a good choice -- even with the blood of 2002 Gujarat riot victims’ on his hands. He looked aspiring, ambitious, connected to the masses and, most importantly, different from other politicians. The country was heading from elections fought on the caste and religious lines to a conscious where economic development mattered the most. 2014, in many ways, felt like independence for those who never truly realized the significance of real independence.

But then 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 happened. Now in 2019, all the dreams seem crushed under its own weight. From ineffective economic policies to social blunders to everything else -- Prime Minister Modi failed in many areas, which, surprisingly, makes Manmohan Singh’s tenure look so much better.

● It really began when the Modi government seemed more hostile towards the media than was anticipated. Opposing voices were shut. A large part of Indian journalism was/is taken by BJP’s stooges, who desperately attempt to block news and facts that look ill to the party in power.

● RSS and VHP and other extreme Hindutva wings played a bigger role in the cabinet’s decision-making than Modi’s own ministers.

● Nights in and nights out, the Hindu-Muslim topic took the center stage on news channels with the complete nod from the government. To keep things spicy and different for namesake, Pakistan’s name and nationalism were used as political tools from time to time. The real issues got hidden under the carpet.

● Farmers’ plight and problems were undermined with oblivious measures like loan waivers, paying no heed to the structural inefficiencies that hurt the agricultural sector.

● There were lots (and lots) of announcements and schemes. But, with political agenda hidden behind, they had no on-ground impact. For instance, “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” was one of the noblest ideas from Modi. However, four years later, the number reveals an ugly treatment of this scheme by the government. 56 percent of funds allocated to “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” was spent on its publicity and media-related activities. 25 percent of it was disbursed to districts and states. 19 percent remains unreleased.

● The less we talk about Demonetisation and its aftermath, the better.

● While GST was a noble idea, its implementation underlined the real intent of the government, which was/is to extract as much revenue from the business owners. So, whatever good that was left after demonetization, GST wrecked it.

● While Modi is certainly the face of his government, he is also the only man in his government. And even with all the democratic structure, it’s very close to totalitarianism. This government lacks serious talent -- talent that understands the ground realities to an extent of being an expert.

On many fronts, Modi is doing the exact same thing he despised the previous governments for. So, he turned out to be just like the same person as every other politician -- two-faced, poor in policy-making and far from the ground realities.

I don’t support him anymore. And it’s certainly the time for all the supporters to bid him goodbye.

(Courtesy: Amar Ujala)