This day last year brought about a momentous change in India. Modi came to power and perhaps deservedly so. The environment had become so dismal that everybody had stopped dreaming about anything in India. India was on a drift--it was drifting down the lane and at a pace that was alarming. Modi, an astute politician and an able action man that he is, sensed the despondency that had engulfed India. He took on the mantle by side-lining Advani and other senior leaders who had not endeared themselves to the people on the ground. Modi won them over by his oration. He had already made himself a household name by achieving milestones in Gujarat. Millstones, if any, were subdued by the milestones. The kind of reception he got wherever he went left no one in doubt about the result. Only the magnitude was something that was not imagined by many. UP turnaround took everyone by storm. It was unthinkable.
What Modi successfully did during the campaign was that he aroused the hope of everyone. Every Indian, especially the young lads and lasses, thought he was the one who was going to deliver. And his catchy slogans did the rest. Of course, inactions and ineptitude of Congress and other political opponents played no mean role in elevating Modi. The more they criticized him, the more he was lapped up by the people on the ground. There was no answer to Modi.
Burdened with so much expectations, he began with a bang. Or at least he tried to. Bowing to the demand of SC, his government decided to appoint an SIT to unearth black money. He had embarked on a vehicle of government that had five speed gears for five years. His vehicle is still in the first gear mode. The speed has to be slow as there are many pitfalls and many boulders left on the road by the UPA. It will pick up speed by and by. But since expectations from every quarter were so high that this slow speed disappointed many and some even began to shout at the top of their voice that this was not what was expected of him. The achche din he had promised should have come on the very first day. The jobs he had promised should have become available at the earliest. Modi's folly lay here. In his exuberance he had promised so much that it became impossible for him to meet them because he could not have started his vehicle in top gear. Progression had to be slow: from first gear to the top gear. The top gear is to come in 2019. No one likes to wait because India had been waiting for over six decades. India is impatient. India is raring to go. It needs to fly and it expected to fly with Modi at the helm. No one doubts his sincerity except his avowed political enemies, and there is no dearth of them. But no one is ready to wait any more.
Since domestic front is beset with various problems, Modi decided to make impact where it mattered most and where there were no barriers as they are within the country. His whirlwind tour of foreign countries has to be seen in this context. He has demonstrated through these foreign tours that he can be fast, rather very fast in doing things. But he cannot go that fast here in India because of the roadblocks. What Rahul and others are doing is--they are providing road blocks. And as some issues have emotional and sentimental tones besides financial, they are momentarily successful and to some it has begun to look that Modi is being halted. Halted indeed he is. But this is only momentary. Almost every Indian who has any discerning power sees it clearly that what Rahul and the likes of him are doing is pure politics and nothing else. The questions they are raising now should have been addressed by them when they were in power, and they were in power long enough to do whatever they wanted to do provided they had any real intent for that.
On looking back, one can very well say that Modi has begun well, but he has to demonstrate some patience and fortitude. I am sure he has plenty of it. He must continue in the same vein without buckling under political pressure. He has four more years to go before he changes gear to the top speed. He will be required to move on to the second gear. And here he will be required to implement one by one those policies that will take the country ahead. If farmers begin to get the benefit of Land Bill, all opposition will evaporate. Modi still enjoys the goodwill of the people both within and without. And this he will continue to enjoy so long as he perseveres with his policies and implements them as honestly and efficiently as many of us believe he is doing.
NC Sinha
What Modi successfully did during the campaign was that he aroused the hope of everyone. Every Indian, especially the young lads and lasses, thought he was the one who was going to deliver. And his catchy slogans did the rest. Of course, inactions and ineptitude of Congress and other political opponents played no mean role in elevating Modi. The more they criticized him, the more he was lapped up by the people on the ground. There was no answer to Modi.
Burdened with so much expectations, he began with a bang. Or at least he tried to. Bowing to the demand of SC, his government decided to appoint an SIT to unearth black money. He had embarked on a vehicle of government that had five speed gears for five years. His vehicle is still in the first gear mode. The speed has to be slow as there are many pitfalls and many boulders left on the road by the UPA. It will pick up speed by and by. But since expectations from every quarter were so high that this slow speed disappointed many and some even began to shout at the top of their voice that this was not what was expected of him. The achche din he had promised should have come on the very first day. The jobs he had promised should have become available at the earliest. Modi's folly lay here. In his exuberance he had promised so much that it became impossible for him to meet them because he could not have started his vehicle in top gear. Progression had to be slow: from first gear to the top gear. The top gear is to come in 2019. No one likes to wait because India had been waiting for over six decades. India is impatient. India is raring to go. It needs to fly and it expected to fly with Modi at the helm. No one doubts his sincerity except his avowed political enemies, and there is no dearth of them. But no one is ready to wait any more.
Since domestic front is beset with various problems, Modi decided to make impact where it mattered most and where there were no barriers as they are within the country. His whirlwind tour of foreign countries has to be seen in this context. He has demonstrated through these foreign tours that he can be fast, rather very fast in doing things. But he cannot go that fast here in India because of the roadblocks. What Rahul and others are doing is--they are providing road blocks. And as some issues have emotional and sentimental tones besides financial, they are momentarily successful and to some it has begun to look that Modi is being halted. Halted indeed he is. But this is only momentary. Almost every Indian who has any discerning power sees it clearly that what Rahul and the likes of him are doing is pure politics and nothing else. The questions they are raising now should have been addressed by them when they were in power, and they were in power long enough to do whatever they wanted to do provided they had any real intent for that.
On looking back, one can very well say that Modi has begun well, but he has to demonstrate some patience and fortitude. I am sure he has plenty of it. He must continue in the same vein without buckling under political pressure. He has four more years to go before he changes gear to the top speed. He will be required to move on to the second gear. And here he will be required to implement one by one those policies that will take the country ahead. If farmers begin to get the benefit of Land Bill, all opposition will evaporate. Modi still enjoys the goodwill of the people both within and without. And this he will continue to enjoy so long as he perseveres with his policies and implements them as honestly and efficiently as many of us believe he is doing.
NC Sinha
