INDIA IN 21st CENTURY, ARRIVAL OF MODI ERA

Mukesh Devrari

This article is not an academic exercise, in fact, it is a result of the elaboration of lived reality between 2014-19. Nothing changed in the last five years in India, nothing at all. Life was as difficult as it was under the tenure of UPA government led by Cambridge educated Manmohan Singh. Jobs were as rare as they are now. The economy was in tatters as it is now. Millions of unemployed graduates are joining the existing fleet of unemployed youth in India.   

When Manmohan Singh was a PM, he did not enjoy the stature of PM in the eyes of common masses as he was holding the office as per the wishes of Gandhi family. He was a humble down to earth man Sikh gentleman who had no control either over the Congress party or over his colleagues in the government. Most of the Congress and UPA alliance partners leading the different ministries minted as much as money as they could. Corruption was rampant. Things went to such a state that corporate India, which generally prefers to remain apolitical, coined the term ‘policy paralysis’ to define the second tenure of UPA government.

Congress leaders were enraged by the rising intensity of allegations and hatred against them but they did not do anything to repel the public perception. Again, their favourite past time was making as much money as possible in the shortest possible time. Corruption was at its peak. Not only at the level of the central government, but most of the state governments were also totally corrupt. Uttarakhand is a prime example of corruption infested state. There was no accountability whereas the sense of entitlement was at its peak. While India stagnated economically, corporates will political links were flourishing in the rot. This stagnation was in all direction. Whether it’s economic progress, social justice, rights, infrastructural development, health services, public distribution system, everywhere people were harassed for basic amenities. There were long lines of people across the country even for the LPG gas cylinders. While people were struggling for everything, powerful and influential did not feel the pain of the common masses.

Narendra Modi presented himself as a saviour, who was a viable alternative to the ruling regime with a track record of performance as Gujarat Chief Minister. People lapped at the idea of viable change, whether it was Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi or Narendra Modi. In the 2014 elections, although all left leaning liberals love to abuse right-wing political party, the fact is there was no alternative. Those who provided viable alternative people supported them. Out of the 70 state assembly seats AAP party in Delhi won 67 seats. Some regional leaders also provided a viable honest alternative and they also came back to the power.

There was no Modi magic, but it was sheer frustration of common people against Congress rule which were reaping the fruits of power while masses were suffering. Congress party might be pursuing politics to make their leader Prime Minister of India, but citizens expect more from the party which still represent Gandhian values of secularism, inclusiveness, modernization and social justice. In short, people of India decided to throw Congress in the dustbin. Rightfully so, no person or party has a permanent right to rule India. If politicians don’t deliver, they must lose the elections.

In 2019, things were a little different. It was a plain and simple forecast that BJP is coming back to power. There are many reasons for this. Among other things impeccable personal integrity, no substantial allegation of corruption on government, ability to take decisions, ideologically committed cadre, weak opposition leader, corporate support – favourable media, rising nationalism, popularity among the youth, the resurgent face of Brahminism in India and last but not the least he could rise above the politics of caste, creed, colour, place of birth and language in his political campaign played a key role in the historic triumph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This might not last long as the economy is not performing well in the country. In fact, it is the biggest failure of the Modi government. The exports did not rise in the last five years. The jobs could not be created. There were heavy investment proposals in infrastructure, but in an overcrowded country like India, implementation is likely to take years. Congress also contributed to it. Acquisition of land is essential to implement any developmental project, but the Congress party decided to create laws to appease farmers which made acquiring agricultural land a very difficult process for the government. Congress still takes pride in the pro-people law, but the entire country is paying the price of short-sightedness of its leaders who are more interested in acquiring votes and winning elections. In the end, they got nothing.

Modi introduced come cosmetic changes, renamed many policies, indulged in event management rather than hard policy initiatives necessary to lift millions out of poverty in India. He preferred symbolism rather than substance. So, he built the tallest statue of his beloved Congress leader Sardar Patel, introduced plan to built a bullet train, tricked public through carefully managed propaganda over surgical strikes, tried to benefit from military stances against Pakistan among other things. And he was successful and established himself in the minds of people as a strong politician. However, this trickery might not last long. The mental image of the world around us has to be substantiated by the real-life experience. Once the gap between the two rises, political fortunes of Modi likely to dwindle with it.

BJP is an ideological outfit. Not every BJP supporter is part of the lynch mob who are spreading hate and threatening people on Twitter and Facebook for criticizing the government or willing to lynch Muslims and Christians for eating cows. Although Brahmanical arrogance is palpable in any such discussions. More than BJP, RSS has created many outfits and encourages radicalism in society. It helps BJP during elections. As an extremely devoted Muslim in Pakistan unlikely to vote for a liberal western oriented (socially) politician, similarly, individuals totally submerged into nationalistic propaganda are unlikely to vote for any centre to left political outfit in India. Once engrossed in right-wing worldview people can vote to other nationalist parties, which are perhaps more radical than BJP, but they are not likely to vote to Congress. However, this principle not necessarily applies to any politicians, for them, the world is a family. So, celebrity Congress Spokesperson can join Shiv Sena, Congress leaders can join BJP anytime they like. In fact, all parties welcome big leaders into their fold. There are plenty of examples across the nation.

Many scholars are now calling it arrival of BJP system in India to tease the Rajni Kothari’s inception of the Congress system. Perhaps India has entered the BJP system, only a more nationalist version can replace the nationalism of BJP now. If that’s true, nothing can be more unfortunate than that, but the scholars are known for developing appealing insights in the hindsight. How the country will turn in the coming years is as difficult for them to answer, as it is for common people.

Next five years are going to reshape India completely. If Modi succeeded economically, then it will be an impossible exercise to discredit the BJP government and India will enter a new phase of a centre to the right government for a long time to come.

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