We are living in exciting and dangerous times. The world itself is changing with climate change and having to sustain mankind’s needs and greed with increasing population, changing demographics, new technologies and aspirations. India is pushing forward new boundaries in politics with floundering economy and sinking banks. There is a lot of good, and unfortunately an equal lot of bad and some of it very ugly. Isn’t all of it debatable?
The Good: We have voted for a decisive leader, given his party a massive majority and he is not afraid to take risks to tackle issues that have been festering and remained untouchable. The bold changes started with sudden demonetisation, followed by GST, the criminalisation of triple talak and removal of Articles 370 and 35A, keeping Kashmir in lockdown by holding all mainstream elected leaders and shutting off all communication, with massive police and para military forces, bringing Kashmir into the mainstream of India and denying Pakistan legitimate reason in the world fora for continuing bleeding Kashmir with established terrorist attacks.
The PM has a powerful dependable aide in Amit Shah who has full powers to employ the formidable machinery he has built up and administrative policy as Home Minister, which leaves him free to concentrate on external affairs, and with his gift of oratory and showmanship has successfully impressed world leaders to tow and help the Indian line. The PM is the undisputed BJP leader and with a majority in Parliament they have managed to pass many Bills which were hitherto stuck.
The PM is a workaholic, with a rockstar image (Howdy Modi) and has managed to get the higher echelons and government into more innovative work with projected perception of less corruption, and a stronger attempt to book those who fled abroad with illegal wealth.
Domestically, he has tried to tackle Swachh Bharat, cleaning of the Ganga river, encouraged building of toilets in every household in every village for an ‘open defection free’ India, free LPG to those below the poverty line and a bank account for every Indian, no matter how poor where money from the various welfare schemes could be directly transferred. Minimum support prices are offered, writing off of loans where farmers are in distress as far as possible. There is Start Up India, Skill India, Digital India, Make in India and many programmes like Beti Padao Beti Bachao, MGNREGA, numerous schemes for health, education and social services the naming of all would fill up this page.
The Bad: The British Raj attitude of lording officials is thriving and poor, sometimes prejudiced implementation of the many touted schemes leaves much to be desired. The cover up of failures of Swachh Bharat Scheme, loss of jobs, farmer’s distress and dangerous financial slowdown are glaring.
Former DGP Prakash Singh says, “The democratic structure may itself collapse if police are not able to take lawful action against certain categories of criminals just because they have political clout.”
The overwhelming mandate of the BJP is translating into religious discrimination, RSS ideologies, appointment of yogis and religious heads of one denomination into administration and people polarisation, also prejudicial denigrating of historical icons. The opposition is being systematically decimated by fair means and foul, and institutions meant for checks and balances diluted. The judiciary is being chastised. Brand Modi and overflowing party coffers projects overriding power, pomp and influence.
Ruling parties are arrogant, can bulldoze Bills in Parliament without proper discussion, do not generally tolerate opposition, with the majority lap dog media falsehoods and divisive policies have taken roots. The diverse social fabric of the country is being tampered with and tolerant Hinduism replaced with militant Hindutva, instead of mocking and abusing rational and dissenting voices thus killing democratic values and unity in diversity in our multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural societies forcing a straightjacket of RSS/BJP philosophy and culture will destroy the uniqueness of our democracy.
Two and a half months after the FM’s budget, hailed as development friendly and future oriented, the government could no longer live in denial, and had to admit a dangerous financial slowdown and reverse course. Although the PM did verbally condemn violence, follow up action prominently missing, the perpetrators are often protected and even garlanded. The PM firmly proclaims “all is well” like our CM “Goa is ODF” when it is not so. Wither truth and non-violence?
The Ugly: Sarva dharma Sambhava (Humanity transcends) is lacking, for merely on rumours or professing protection of the cow, preventive action for horrible beatings even to death were not taken. Seemingly with State patronage, innocent citizens were killed, thousands invariably pushed into distress/lost their livelihood, mostly in the unorganised sector being farmers, Dalits and the poor, now also affecting the organized sector.
Covert religious persecution, caste politics, religious nationalism, and enforcement agencies seem to be selectively employed. New, dangerously-worded laws and rules are specifically made to target so called seditionists/anti nationals/urban naxals, religious conversions/ghar wapsi/ love jihad, and human rights NGOs. Despite stringent laws, even children/toddlers are being raped and killed. The laws against rapes and crimes of those in power and especially wearing saffron robes have a different yardstick. And the ugliest of all is some dirty unprincipled politics, arbitrary prejudiced decisions and assault on the basic tenets of privacy and freedom as laid down in our Constitution.
(The author is a retired naval officer, freelance writer resident in Porvorim)
