Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Where are the changes, Mr. Prime Minister?

Probably, I'm writing this piece in haste because a year is a short time to bring about extraordinary changes by the new government at New Delhi, however much the Prime Minister wants them to happen. It's also abundantly clear that the bills, which will bring about sweeping changes, will not pass muster in Parliament simply because his party doesn't have the numbers in the Rajya Sabha.

The Land Acquisition Bill is one such example and his detractors would not like him to score points on good governance and development while the archaic and corrupt system would not like legislation that will require it to mend its ways! So he has a tough time really, but consider the following:-

 (a) Nothing has happened regarding bringing back the black money, stashed abroad. He'd promised
      that it would be done within the first 100 days! No redefinition of time lines and the action being
      taken for the end result to happen!!

 (b) The elections to the Assemblies of Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi were fought with a relaxation
       in the BJP's ideology. For example, in J&K, the anullment of Art 370 that grants special status
       to the state was conveniently kept away during the run up to the elections. If the party had
       thought that they'd make a dent in the Muslim populated areas by keeping quiet about it, their
       poll strategists had got it all wrong and the numbers that they finally managed to muster was only
       in the Hindu dominated areas of Jammu, which they'd have anyways got otherwise also!
     
       There's news that the Kashmiri Pundits are going to be rehabilitated in select areas. While it's
       nice to hear that the community's woes are finally being addressed, the security of such areas
       should be assured to withstand future terror attacks and disturbances by vested interests who'd
       try to prove that the move is a retrograde step/harebrained scheme of the government!

 (c) To me, the elections to the Delhi state assembly was not contested well by the BJP. Bringing in
       Kiran Bedi was a mistake as the party men weren't fully behind her for whatever reasons they
       might have had. Moreover, she was too voluble on the non issues. The government employees
       voted enmasse for AAP as they felt that the central government's diktats 'endangered their
       freedom' from doing the wrong things that they're used to like reporting late for and and going
       early from work. And finally, the BJP was totally bowled over by the 'do or die' pitch of Kejriwal
       and gang.

 (d) The slapping of the 'anti beef eating' law by the Maharashtra government is a retrograde step.
       Why can't that government zero in on more pressing action like decongesting Bombay, take steps
       to prevent farmers' suicides and many other developmental work? By bringing about a ban on
       food preferences, the government is alienating the people who'd voted for change. The people'd
       thought that the previous governments had played the communal card while saying that they're
       'secular' and expected the BJP to be a party with a difference!

  (e) And to cap it all, ministers like Gajapati Raju, VK Singh, Giriraj Singh and a few others make
       idiotic statements and seem to be getting away with them. Maybe, Modi has given them the
       dressing down that they deserve but without any follow through, like a public apology or a
       correction to their earlier stand?

The Prime Minister has bettered the country's image by his foreign policy initiatives. His 'mann ki baat' on the national radio shows that he's a human being who understands the pulse of his countrymen and is concerned about their apprehensions. But results are a must, Mr. Prime Minister! And they'd better come fast as your detractors are fast catching up on your unfinished agenda in the form of a united(?) and charged opposition!!


Tailpiece.

A common saying these days is that Modi gives just 'bhaashans' but doesn't follow them up with concrete actions. So, do something to satisfy all those who root behind you and truly believe that you're the saviour!
     



No comments:

Post a Comment