Political Diary

New Delhi, 14 August 2015

15 Months Down, Is Modi

CELEBRATING SUCCESS OR RUEING FAILURE?

By Poonam I Kaushish

Circa 2014: India voted for change and a new power paradigm on the wings of hope and trust. Of an accountable and honest Government which would lead India on a path of growth. But 15 months down the line Prime Minister Modi is now personally experiencing the classical saying that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown!

Running the country is rough life, as he is slowly but surely finding out. If Modi anticipated that like home State Gujarat the silly chair called India Raj would be a cake walk, it does not seem a cinch. But neither did he expect it to be a crown bristling with thorns. Raising a big query: Will he come out smelling of roses --- and for how long?

When one draws up the balance-sheet of the BJP-Government, can the Prime Minister brush under the carpet the fact that the situation sadly continues to remain stagnant ---status quo ante? Has Modi mastered the art of tight rope walking, one who can handle the Opposition and outsmart them? Or, should one believe his detractors who see Modi as a filibuster of a “fundamentalist Party”?

To give Modi his due, from a chaiwallah to country’s Prime Minister is a long way, worthy of praise, interspersed with the albatross of the Gujarat riots. He has worked and fought hard to emerge triumphant. But he cannot rest his laurels on that alone. The goodwill of ushering in aachche din is slowly dissipating. He seems to be floundering as the messiah of progress and modernity in the midst of the byzantine goings-on in Lutyens New Delhi.  

There is no gainsaying that it has been a roller coaster ride, a bag of mixed fortunes and misfortunes for the Government. One end of the spectrum there is international cacophony that India has arrived. At the other end, Lalitgate and Vyaapam scam involving his Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers Raje and Chauhan has besmirched his loud procrastinations of “na khaanoinga na khaane doonga.”

Whichever way one looks, the BJP-led NDA Government, which initially gave one an impression of ushering in a new chapter in India’s political history, has not much to tom-tom about. Caution has replaced enthusiasm. In nearly all spheres, politics, economy, social sectors, employment and curbing prices et al. Worse, it has none but itself to blame for the incredible mess it finds itself in.

The biggest failure difficult for Modi has been his inability to take the Opposition along. True, the Opposition is to blame for boycotting Parliament’s monsoon session. Nevertheless, the onus for ensuring that Parliament works smoothly lay on the Treasury benches.

The session was a loss of face for the Prime Minister who first ensured the suspension of 25 Congress MPs, a la Gujarat Assembly model. Infamous for the Opposition being suspended for the entire duration of an Assembly session to ensure the House’s smooth running. Then he cocked a snook at Parliamentary etiquette by refusing to attend and defend his Cabinet colleague.

Surprisingly, Modi, a chronic netizen played Gandhi’s three monkeys, deaf, mute and dumb. Obversely, it saw the coming  of age of Rahul Gandhi who not only adopted Modisque ‘direct marketing’ format of hit and run to connect with people, but also showed his potential as a rival.

Administratively too, perhaps he is trying to superimpose his Gujarat governance model on New Delhi’s well-lubricated system. Whereby, he is the BOSS and lets nobody forget this. Be it his Ministerial colleagues, MPs Partymen and surprisingly even the RSS. Ministers are largely powerless because every file goes to the PMO. From appointing their PS, telling officials to contact him directly, keeping media at arms length, monitoring and dissecting minutely every minute of governance.

On the economic front, beyond the financial might of overflowing tillers, booming IT business, broadband connectivity etc, lies a growth-rate of no more than five per cent, confusion on the taxation front and no brake on Government spending. Increasing unemployment, illiteracy, ill-health and suicides by farmers are the touchstone of the much-hyped and illusionary deal of roti, kapada aur makan. Look at the irony. Cellphones go abegging, yet people continue to beg for food.

True, India Inc acknowledges that corruption at the top had declined dramatically, a welcome change from the erstwhile UPA Government. The introduction of e-auction of coal and telecom has done wonders for transparency. Nevertheless, the grandees of industry aver there is a policy paralysis and a sense of drift. Thanks to over-centralisation at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). 

His pet project of making Bharat Swacch by 2019 sans water and toilets seems a tall order. The corridors of Government offices stink to high heaven, forget the congested residential areas with garbage strewn all across roads. Less said the better of health care, Shamefully, 1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children live in India with 1,500 dying every day and risking the future of another 6 million.

At another level, Modi detractors feel the NDA Government is overwhelmed by the power it has won. Perhaps, if one were to total all the Union Cabinet’s  decisions, political, diplomatic and administrative actions taken by the fledgling  Sarkar since coming to power, Ministerial speak and press releases it might become clear that Modi is certainly finding the challenge to run India much greater than what he perchance thought initially.

In fact many compare Modi’s work style to Indira Gandhi. Asserted a Modi bhakt, “He has the same style of management of power, the same panache to reduce the political leadership into, if not spectators, bureaucrats. He continues to enjoy tremendous popular pan India support as a strong leader with a vision. Moreover, there is none within his Party and Opposition to match his charisma and oratory.”

All in all, 15 months is to short a time to either sing paeans of Modi or write his obituary. And certainly Modi is no magician who can cure India of its 60 years ills expediently, despite his brand of politics. Ultimately, much will depend upon Modi’s political will and priorities in the weeks and months ahead.

The shrewd Modi has grasped that nations live or die by the way its leaders respond to the challenges they face. Only that leader survives who rises to meet the moment, has the wisdom to recognize the malaise and resolve it before it is too late.

Towards that end prime Minister-elect Modi needs to relive what he ad nauseum chants, “The real meaning of politics is not power but service.” He has to live up to huge expectations generated by Modi’s 3D media campaign on twitter, U tube and social networking sites.

Undeniably, Modi’s task is not enviable. The burden on him is enormous given our fickle and unforgiving voters. Much is expected of him. Will this ordinary-Indian-turned extraordinary neta be able to redefine politics and deliver? It remains to be seen on when and how soon the people will greet each other with “Su che? Maje mai”! ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)