Why Modi's Independence Day speech failed to inspire India
Long speeches are not necessarily inspirational. This realisation dawned on millions in India, including thousands who gathered at Delhi's Red Fort to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi, deliver his second I-Day speech. Almost an hour's patience with a meandering lecture not connected by a unifying theme, gave way to audible background chatter for the remaining part of the one-and-half-long lecture. Modi's words did not drown but the message was clear: this was one occasion where the prime minister failed to leave people spellbound.
To use a cricketing terminology, Modi played last year on the front foot and way outside the front crease forcing bowlers to change their length. Today, he was on the back foot making defensive prods as if weighed by recent crises that has gripped his government. Last year Modi could no wrong and even won over sceptics to his fold, this year several supporters departed from the fold. Modi's inability to retain loyalists was most evident in his inability to offer anything beyond "continuing efforts" for the much expected One Rank One Pension. Consequently, dismay in Jantar Mantar where septuagenarians and octogenarians are camping in ample measure, began to transform into anger. Unless Modi is able to crack the issue, and fast, this frustration will soon convert into rage. In a country where elections are always round the corner and where the presence of ex-servicemen is significant in large parts of India, this could result in electoral disaster for the BJP in the time to come.
Regimes, the world over, either feign populism or turn to it to tide over crises. Modi did just that: he repeatedly talked about need to focus policies on poor and bemoaned dignity of labour. But then charity begins at home is the old adage. What new policies for the poor? Moreover, if he had so much adoration for clothes of the working class, why is it that an infamous pinstriped suit will forever remain among Modi's blemishes?
In 2014, Modi was a novelty in Delhi. His decision to play the family elder was accepted by people and women were particularly impressed that he had called for rectifying family values to fix the issue of increasing rape: After all, rapists too are sons of someone, Modi had gushed. On a TV discussion after his speech, a woman colleague politely emphasised that barring one stray mention, Modi had made no reference to women in his entire speech.
Of course, it can be argued that in the limited time, it is not possible to mention every issue. But the question is what does one prioritise? Moreover, the number of issues touched upon can be increased provided one knows the value of brevity. Modi lost time in reiterating achievements of his government yet had no time to spare for promises he could not fulfil.
For instance, Start-Up India, Stand Up India is a new programme to empower Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs. But what assurances do we have this too shall not meet the same fate as Make in India which after a year-long wait finally has an entrant in Taiwan's Foxconn which unveiled a five-billion-dollars investment last week.
In all his speeches that have been run endlessly on television, Modi has not appeared as lacklustre as he did today. He repeatedly peered down, presumably to look at a sheaf of papers, to ensure he did not cite wrong figures while making claims regarding his government's achievements. Yet the list of the unattained was far longer.
Modi had no words for two issues that preoccupied him for the past several weeks: Opposition derailing Monsoon Session of Parliament and Land Acquisition Bill. It is ironical that while the BJP decided that minister and party leaders will address press conferences and public meetings across India to campaign against the Congress blockade of Parliament, he chose to ignore the issue. It could be a tough choice because mention of the failed Monsoon Session will necessitate a reference to charges against Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Since January, Land Acquisition Bill dominated political discourse and Modi projected the legislation as the cornerstone of reforms in his wish list. Has he almost abandoned the idea of passing the Bill and thus chose to make no mention though he spoke about the need to protect farmers' interests?
Government policy over the past year did not reflect the clarity of Modi's I-Day speech. India will hope for this trend to continue and duality between Modi and his government remains. Because, if government policy mirrors the muddle, disarray of thought and lack of inspirational idea in this speech; it will be little but bad news.