The Modi Government’s second year has begun, and some of
the foundations for major structural change that will transform this country
over the next 10 to 15 years have indeed been laid. Economic benefits from this
are expected to begin in year two of this administration, now just underway.
And each passing year of this term in office will see
momentous structural changes taking place. Whenever this happens, particularly
in a democratic polity, there is bound to be huge protest from all whose vested
interests are affected.
But the public seems to understand this, and even
welcomes it. What they want above all, is an end to the inaction. They do not
share many of the concerns that a partisan media would like to thrust upon
them.
To paraphrase current Political Editor of Swarajya
Magazine Surajit Dasgupta’s recent
comment on the drift, the people want a clean and authoritarian Modi alright,
but not so much a seemingly ‘democratic’ BJP, that is yet far less
inspirational, and therefore less easy to follow.
It is this perception that may be agitating more minds
than one within the NDA, let alone elsewhere, because the stature of Modi is
definitely bigger than that of his Party, or indeed of any in his alliance. But
since it is based on sheer merit and the energy he brings to his job, it is a
very strong act to follow.
The revamped Land Bill, for example, currently running on
renewed ordinances, will mean relentless industrial progress and
infrastructural development. Even though it ensures adequate financial
compensation, it still threatens the status quo , and will expose the
povertarian agendas long pursued by the Congress Party instead.
Similarly, the Black Money Bill threatens to burn a lot
of politicians on both sides of the aisle, amongst others; with undeclared or benami
properties abroad. These may have been purchased with hawala-sped funds,
quite often from the proceeds of bribery and corruption. Unlike their money in
Swiss and other banks, properties are not so easy to shift out of sight, or
conceal under a mass of misleading ownership documents.
The Railway Reforms, almost underway, will change the way
this country travels and moves its goods, and touch the lives of millions.
Narendra Modi, born poor, but unhampered by any
psychological need to be personally corrupt, is in a unique position. He has
taken care to distance himself from his family, and has never been accused of
any financial skulduggery, on his own, or on their behalf, throughout his time
in public office. This is, circumstantially, a first in Indian politics, and
one that puts the prime minister in a very strong position to implement his
ideas without being compromised. But, it also makes a lot of dishonest people,
and their protectors, very uncomfortable indeed.
Recently, quite by dint of external circumstance, an
internal political remodelling of the Government’s power centres, and perhaps
of the Party too, has also, willy-nilly, been set into motion.
The time may have come to end the influence of a section
of the BJP more comfortable with the ideas of the discredited and corrupt
Congress Party, than with those pulling in a bold new direction within its own fold.
That Mr. Advani has sought to undermine Modi from the day
he aspired to the prime ministership is pathetically obvious. But, even now, the old man cannot seem to understand that
positioning himself as an alternative to Modi whenever there is any political
turbulence, is still unlikely to yield him any dividends.
His known supporters, Sushma Swaraj and Vijayraje
Scindia, are now much weakened, mostly as a consequence of their own doings. And
so, the Modi/Shah/ Bhagwat combine has been handed the opportunity on a platter
to consolidate NaMo’s hold on the Government and Party as a consequence.
A new consolidated BJP/RSS agenda, under the leadership
of Modi/Shah and Bhagwat respectively, needs to rule henceforth. Bhagwat’s
recent improved security status may be an indicator of his increasing stature to
achieve a smooth and seamless interface with the RSS.
It is they who collectively possess the vision and the
operational ability to deliver a developed India, using their commitment to
broad free-market principles, appropriate to a globalised economy. This alone
will bring about the prosperity that this nation has long deserved, but been
denied, because of an inadequate and short-sighted leadership invested in a
socialism that has completely failed to remove poverty.
Together they can win the elections that count. Together,
this triumvirate can aspire to a second and third term in office.
Others, erstwhile BJP leaders, now on the side-lines,
most without any grass-roots support, cosy from years in Delhi’s incestuous and
darbari Opposition, are stunned and outraged at being out in the cold.
Yet, these left-over leaders too have changed into
seeming moderates in the Congress gaze for their covert opposition to Modi. But,
sadly, to oppose Modi, they use none other than the Congress line. They call
him authoritarian and undemocratic, refusing to accept he won the popular
mandate fair and square. They do not understand that the people want decisive
leadership after years of a highly educated but ineffective munimji as
prime minister.
It is no small irony that LK Advani, once the Hindutva
poster boy of the Rath Yatra to Ayodhya, is now thought to be a moderate
secular liberal. He who praised the unrelenting Shia MA Jinnah at his mausoleum
as a ‘secularist’! Of course, Advani used this convoluted logic to describe the
architect of the two-nation theory, to indicate his timely change of heart before
BJP lost the general elections - putting paid to his failed bid to become prime
minister in 2009.
No wonder the Congress prefers this pliable octogenarian.
It was the same reason why Reagan and Thatcher used to flatter Gorbachev, who
brought about the end of the USSR. And that is why a humiliated Congress and
its rag-tag and bobtail friends applaud every time Advani or his
followers/sympathisers take a pot shot at Modi.
And all this tomfoolery has been given further impetus
with Advani himself speaking out lately, wearing his jealousy and frustration
on his sleeve.
But Modi has demonstrated a steely will, despite the
intense clamour from the Opposition, parts of the media, and sniping from dissidents,
to take his usual brand of inspired action. To him, it is as if the noise was
simply not there. So what if they taunt him as Maun Modi in a throwback to the
description of his hapless predecessor. This is a very different situation and
prime minister to contend with.
For: The Pioneer
(1,093 words)June 21st, 2015
Gautam Mukherjee
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