7 concerns of Indians that Modi must address
The general election of 2014 was all about Narendra Modi versus the "rest". Single-handedly, he led his party to a stupendous victory and not only did he humble the Opposition, he also pushed some of the bigwigs of his own party to the fringes.
The people of the country were yearning for a change from scam-ridden UPA-2 and they saw in Modi a messiah who promised them "achhe din" and vowed to break them free from the old order with a promise of corruption-free India and a life of dignity and not doles.
But now when the euphoria has kind of ebbed away, maybe it's time to do a reality check to find out how much has changed since Modi took over the reins of power.
Politics and elections are all about public perception. Manmohan Singh lost not because he was corrupt but was perceived to be siding with the corrupt. Like Manmohan, Modi also enjoys a corruption-free image but more than that, he is believed to be THE man who can pull India out of the morass that had set in during the previous regime.
India of the 21st century is vastly different from the "Garibi Hatao" days of 1970s. People are more literate, better informed and are looking for immediate and perceptible change in their day-to-day lives. Therefore, if Modi wants that the hope which was generated should not dissipate and if he wants to win the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, he has to perform, as mere sloganeering will not suffice.
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There is no denying the fact that in foreign affairs, Modi has excelled in not only cementing existing relationships but also developing new allies and engaging with some of our immediate neighbours. Even the US is all praise for Modi's doctrine.
But Modi's performance at home leaves much to be desired. While long-term planning and sustainable development are an absolute must in order to build a strong India, short-term measures are required to be taken urgently to give the public confidence that winds of change have indeed started to blow on the domestic front too.
Here are some of the concerns of the common man which Modi often invites in his Mann ki Baat.
1. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has lost sheen
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is one of the key programmes of the Modi government. When it was launched with much fanfare in 2014, the media was full of photos of VIPs wielding the broom, and government officials dusting offices and files.
Unfortunately, it has lost its sheen since then. Except in Lutyens' Delhi, the roads and bylanes elsewhere are as broken, dirty, bumpy with mounds of garbage lying at every corner as they were two years ago. Nation-wide investigations at the ground level reveal shocking inadequacies in the toilet-building programme, a key component of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, with around 60 per cent of rural households lacking adequate water supply and more than 40 per cent without any arrangement for waste disposal.
Barring very few, most of the elected BJP MPs and MLAs owe their success to the Modi factor. This being so, should not the prime minister expect that they should set aside time and cadre for this path-breaking mission, at least in their own constituencies?
Let the prime minister grade them on this parameter, and tickets for next elections be given on the basis of that. Thsi would create an atmosphere of healthy competition among these legislators.
NGOs also need to be associated in this gigantic task to spread awareness about cleanliness among those who have, owing to the apathy of successive governments, have learnt to live in squalor. A clean India is what everyone wants to see and changes in this area would invite kudos for the government.
If an IAS officer like SR Rao, who is not an expert in the area, but is committed and effective, could transform the filthy and plague-ridden city of Surat into one of the cleanest cities of the country, if a Bollywod star like Vinod Khanna could bring perceptible changes in his constituency and if an ancient city like Mysore can earn the first prize in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, why can't the other elected representatives and the vast army of public servants? The answer perhaps lies is a lack of commitment among them.
2. Where is the will to serve the people?
As the prime minister calls himself "pradhan sevak" his MPs and MLAs who piggybacked on him to success can be termed as "sevaks".
Newspaper reports speak about a spanking Jaguar car purchased for the Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan costing nearly half-a-crore rupees. Such ostentatiousness and VIP-ism make a mockery of an egalitarian society. In any case, how is it that nothing short of a Jaguar alone can ward off a threat, assuming there exists any?
The truth is that it is not about the threat on the lives of our VIPs, but the status which accompanies high-end cars, dozens of securitymen, including heavily-armed commandos, outside their homes and on the roads. Our VIPs move with a convoy of patrol vehicles and security guards and is their way of telling the world "I have arrived". It is, however, a menace for the common man on the streets, causing traffic jams.
The ultimate in this regard is the Y-grade security given to the defecting Uttrakhand MLAs. Will the government withdraw the same if they again switched sides? And finally, does the disproportionately huge security given to chief ministers and their entourage serve any purpose when the common man has to fend for himself?
It is high time that a drastic review of giving disproportionate security cover to our VIPs is undertaken, and only those who are under a real threat should be provided with it.
3. Loyalty of middle class taken for granted
Urban constituencies and particularly middle class were the dominant factor in the NDA's win both in the Lok Sabha and state elections. This segment is also comprise the opinion makers. Unfortunately, its loyalty is taken for granted.
Three budgets have been presented since Modi took over as the prime minister. Far from providing even token relief to the so-called middle class, the existing tax liability was retained and to further rub salt on the wounds of the common man, fresh cesses such as the Krishi Kalyan cess and Swachh Bharat have been levied.
While enlarging political constituency is the objective of any political outfit, the existing support base also need to be nurtured and retained. The loyalty of this segment cannot be taken for granted and any neglect is sure to have a magnified and multiplier effect on the party's fortune if not addressed soon. Now that the country's fiscal position has improved, should the middle class expect some relief in the next budget?
4. Spare the media
Media is called the fourth estate and rightly so, and with increasing literacy, there has been an easy reach of both national and international media in most of the households. Good performance, in the absence of coverage, does not provide mileage to the government and to blame the entire media for it is highly condemnable.
Added to it are the needless controversies created by the censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani, who seems to be totally unsuited to the task, embarrassing the government. A case in point was his undue conservatism over the film Udta Punjab. The government simply needs to be more media-savvy.
5. Healthcare ignored
While welfare and good health should be the top priority of a welfare state which we proclaim to be, unfortunately it is at the bottom of the pyramid in terms of importance.
Anyone who visits the government hospitals in the capital or elsewhere in the country would have a tale of harassment to tell.
Private hospitals cannot be regarded as an alternative by most in the country on account of exorbitant charges for even common ailments.
Although some of the elite hospitals were provided dirt cheap land on the condition that they would provide free medical treatment to those falling in the BPL (below poverty line) category, the harsh reality is that most of the poor patients are turned away on one pretext or the other.
There is a crying need for more hospitals and doctors, but in the meanwhile, a regulatory body should be put in place with authority to levy exemplary fines on these hospitals to ensure that no one from a BPL family who is entitled to treatment is turned away.
6. Poor state of Indian Railways
A bullet train may be a good idea to showcase India's technical prowess but the Indian Railways is anything but efficient and professional. It is impossible for any individual to book a ticket in an emergency except resorting to VIP quotas, or contacting dalals.
Compare this helpless state of the aam aadmi to that of our elected VIPs; a train was made available to an MP just to catch a flight. What a waste of resources this was!
Moreover, the tatkal system is hardly effective. The trains continue to be dirty , insecure, toilets totally non usable. Any thought of privatization if the govt is short of resources in this area .
7. Have VIPs given up subsidies?
Giving up subsidies and publicising that is welcome, but what about subsidies availed by the neo-Rajahs, our parliamentarians? How many of them and their affluent kith and kin gave up LPG subsidies and are willing to forgo canteen subsidy? How about rationing their perks and allowances? Charity begins at home and any sermonising by the leaders on this is regarded with disdain by the common man.
Celebrating two years of being in government and tom-toming the achievements can give gratification to the party functionaries but not to the common man who has yet to see achhe din, despite a supposedly well-meaning government.
The prime minister still has three more years to go at the helm of the government. He has, as the voters believed and continue to believe, all the capability to turn the tables.This is special moment for India , being on cusp of change and growth.
To quote former British prime minister Winston Churchill, "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents."
Therefore, Modi and his team shouldn't be unprepared or hesitant for this can be their finest hour and a chance for changing the fortune of this ancient land. The citizens await decisive action by the Modi government.