Perhaps for the first time in the history of independent
India the performance of an elected Prime Minister in the first year of power
has been so diligently scrutinised. Almost every media firm/ news agency in
India is replete with columns guest articles commemorating the one year of Modi
government. Even social networking is buzzing with interesting discussions
about the same. The proactive involvement of people and intellectuals is really
humbling. It reminds of the new wave of enthusiasm and resurgence which
relegated the Narendra Modi into power a year back. It is heartening to see so
much activity centred on a single individual essentially assessing his
administrative skills, diplomatic acumen, executive capabilities and long term
vision towards India. But the big unanswered question remains why so much of
hullabaloo about the person?
The decade long UPA-II pushed India into a state of
incapacity. A young nation like India
with 65% of population aged below 35 has desperately moaned the comatose state
of governance marred by policy paralysis, plagued by virulent scams and
thriving on the orders and appeals of the high-command. The air of despondency and negativism
permeated every sphere of activity. The downward trend became imminent. It was evident
in the form of gradual shrivelling of exports, industrial output, free fall of
Sensex and ultimately deprecating economic growth coupled with loss of face
among the comity of nations. Clearly the UPA-II dented the aspirations of a
nation teeming with millions of youth. The promise of vibrant India began to
fade. It was for this reason that the Modi’s unconventional conviction towards
growth and development won the hearts of the millions. His meticulous oratory, unparalleled
and nuanced connect with common man catapulted his popularity. Consequently he
clinched the reigns of power with absolute majority, a spectacle registered in
Indian elections after 30 years. Consequently the levels of expectations of
people were extremely high on Modi.
Triumph of Modi breeched past the barriers of dynasty and
consistently evoked inspiration among the people. Rising from humble origins to
the highest order of power and administration he set a new precedent. Young
India too made a precocious choice by rejecting the time tested decrepit
politics and entrusting the echelons of a power to aspirational leader. No
longer the mask and hallow of an inheritance ensured an easy ascent to power.
Eventually it sent a message to all political establishments in India that
priorities of people have changed. Modi brought about a new renaissance in
Indian politics. Instead of conforming himself to old tricks of patronising
politics he won hearts of people by remaining accessible to people. He scrupulously
utilised the social networking platforms to stay connected with the youth. By effectively
bringing forth the dream of great India he instilled hope in people at large.
Rightly so, twelve months into power people and media began
deconstructing the nitty-gritty details of all activities implemented and
undertaken by the Modi government. A detailed score card of hits and misses has
been prepared and discussed by elitists in every field. While the rating are
not definitely disappointing but was not overwhelming either as the level of
expectations were high. So it fell short of the delivery. But in reality,
certain aspects have definitely changed and government has become more visible.
Modi government infused energy, dynamism and buoyancy into the system.
Especially he single-handedly turned around the perception about India abroad
through his deportment, statements and gestures. Indian foreign policy which by
far has been obsessed with Pakistan found a new fillip with Modi’s personal
effort and energy. In this interconnected world he signalled India’s intent to
rise above the domestic preoccupation, economic deceleration and reticence in
engaging with other nations. He substantially demonstrated his commitment with
novel activism in engaging with immediate neighbourhood, near neighbourhood and
with other mighty economic powers. This began to infuse a visible sense of
pride and identity within the nation and in far flung Indian Diaspora.
Few analysts have come down heavily on Modi for making the
traditional institute, the fourth estate of press redundant. But interestingly
his connectivity with people has been affected in the least. While the
government was accused of promoting crony capitalism, the ludicrous claims flummoxed
as a concrete financial analysis indicated that small and medium industries
made huge gains in the first year of Modi’s regime. For a nation burdened by
the innumerable scams and corruption, big business groups and industrialists
unanimously agreed that corruption at higher offices at come down dramatically.
Unlike other nations bringing about change in India is not
easy as system is stymied with unnecessary regulations and archaic procedures.
This formidable setup has become greatest hurdle for making India a business
friendly nation. Moreover, the overriding burden of the subsidies in various
forms throttled the swift economic progression. The corner stone of Modi’s
philosophy is that if India has to progress it must industrialise and create
more jobs. To meet these targets government has ambitiously harped on- Make in
India, Skill India, Digital India and Smart Cities. But the progress and
implementation of these initiatives are overseen by suffocating bureaucracy
seeped in lethargy and inertia. To
motivate the bureaucracy and to bring about synergy and coordination in
functioning, Modi is in short supply of talented team. Consequently the PMO is
burdened with the task of decision making resulting in a slow implementation.
By far, after one year into power, Modi’s popularity has slid marginally but
people are more pragmatic about revival of Indian economy.
While the uncharitable statements of fringe elements raked
doubts about government’s policy towards minorities reassuring words of Modi
stashed those unwarranted apprehensions. Unarguably India’s quick response to
the earthquake in Nepal and audacious rescue efforts during Yemen crisis
exemplify the steadfastness of Modi’s government. Though it has been a tough
ride for Modi to win over critics who vehemently backlash him, unarguably Modi
is steering the nation away from the dogged pseudo-socialist slogans and trying
to usher India into a new era of dynamism and positivity. Further, his
consistent efforts in bringing about accountability, his frequent informal
interactions with citizens of country through radio-talks and his pep talks to
school children attests his inclinations to be a people’s leader. With his
unique ways of connecting with people he became news himself and raised the bar
for aspiring leaders of India.
@ Copyrights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment