74th Republic Day: Successes and Failures of Modi Govt

Introduction

Since 71th Republic day, some anti-nationals duly assisted by the major opposition parties of India have been playing spoilsports. In spite of the many major achievements of Modi Govt, opposition parties of India have actively indulged in maligning the govt and in the process, the nation. In 2020 Republic day celebrations, opposition parties played spoilsports that left an utterly bad taste to the public despite Modi govt’s fabulous achievements when US President was the chief guest (read “Republic Day : sadness” https://archive.thecounterviews.com/issue_02_03). The success of their nefarious act emboldened them to repeat the agenda in successive years during 72nd and 73rd Republic Days too. In 2021 they created massive disinformation on internationally praised Covid19 handling by India. In 2022, they dampened the various achievements of the govt enumerated in the chart below to run a prolonged farmer’s middlemen agitation culminating in desecrating the Indian tricolour at the red fort. These are unfortunate, unpardonable…BUT…knowing the character of the opposition political parties, one should have no doubt that they may try to repeat it under some or other pretext this year too.

The Success Stories of Modi Govt this year

In the times of the joys of our 74st Republic day, we try to recollect what India has achieved in the last 1 year. While the Modi govt has done un-imaginable acts of heroics that no other govt in last 65+ yrs could dare, opposition parties are on a disinformation campaign. There has been an unprecedented National rise in confronting the challenges of economic resilience, fighting with Covid19 pandemic, an impetus of manufacturing in certain sectors, the defence manufacturing and preparedness of the nation has been of exceptional order. Development of basic infrastructures, few rare feats of achievement by Indian Railways, consolidation on institutions of Education, generation of livelihood, infrastructures related to health sector and last but not the least, the institutional values to democratic rights are few such achievements. There has been a betterment in many other sectors too but those growths have been more or less on similar lines that other governments in the past have been also able to usher in. Modi govt takes laurels on ‘remaining scam free’ in its 9th year of rule.

The economic resilience of the nation despite Covid devastations has been praiseworthy of the govt that prevented India from succumbing to financial meltdown that most other nations suffered. The initial impacts of closures during the pandemic threw the entire unorganised sector (earlier known as the backbone of economy) into disarray. Modi Govt did well to sustain 80 Cr poor and others who were sequestrated from such closed ventures. However, now that most such closed ventures have re-started, govt still feeding those 80 Cr people seems more of political/electoral compulsion than a requirement. However, Covid19 vaccination with indigenous vaccines of >220 Cr doses has been the saviour and the Covid Task Force set up by PM, the scientists making the requisite R&D possible and our health services inoculating all must get all praise. It was the foresight of this task force that changed the ravaging pandemic in to opportunity when Indian firms became major exporters of Covid drugs & equipment. It is all their effort that herd immunity has been acquired and the Indian population is safe even against some of the recent variants of nCoV2.

The nation has gained a rapid pace of growth among major economies of the world with near 6.5% growth that has been praised by all international observers incl IMF and the world bank. Presently when most nations in the world are struggling with inflation owing to both Covid and Russia-Ukraine war, India has done extremely well to keep the figure within 6-7%. Manufacturing in the country has picked up and India is presently the 3rd largest in automobile in the world. Defence manufacturing has been at a very rapid pace making all possible high technology weapons. The Atmnirbhar Bharat plan has given a very special impetus to manufacturing in almost all fields esp those which lacked in the past. In the process, lot many MSME and start-ups have made the gains. MSME sector is in its golden period with Rs15700 Cr outlay this year.

The Defence services of India, esp Indian Navy has been the biggest gainer of the year (read “Neglected Indian Navy Regains Lost Pride” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/neglected-indian-navy-regains-lost-pride/). Other services namely IAF and Indian Army too have been able to sharpen their fighting teeth with several new advanced weapons like 155 mm ATGM howitzer and Combat helicopter Rudra being inducted (also read “A Happier Indian Army Celebrating ‘75th Army Day’, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/a-happier-indian-army-celebrating-75th-army-day/). A much needed youth induction through Agnipath recruitment had been a long awaited reform after Kargil war that the opposition political parties smacked it black. Newer advanced missiles with long range and extending their launch platforms has also been laudable (read “Indian Missile Programs to Self-Reliance” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/indian-missile-programs-to-self-reliance/). Overall, Indian defence services have become far mightier than before.

Indian Railways among many other ministries has been one of the best performers building upon their earlier initiatives of several worthy projects like the world’s highest railway bridge (read “Indian Railway’s Skyway: Eighth Wonder of the World?” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/indian-railway-s-skyway-eighth-wonder-of-the-world/) as well as a rapidly increasing advanced ‘Vande Bharat’ train (read “Vande Bharat: A Feather in Railway’s Cap” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/vande-bharat-a-feather-in-railway-cap/) and deploying them on several routes too.

Consolidating on the Institutions of Education has been a benchmark by Modi Govt. The number of higher educational institutions be it IITs, AIIMSs, Medical Colleges and recently, the only WHO Global centre for Traditional Medicine in world at Jamnagar was inaugurated jointly by PM Modi and DG WHO, Dr Tedros. The Ministry of Health must be complimented to have inoculated >220 Cr Covid19 vaccine dosage that may be the major factor in preventing the outbreak of another Covid19 wave that has been ravaging China in the last 2 months or so. The new National Education Policy (NEP) implemented recently is continuously being tinkered with and made forward-looking and futuristic in the country. Education and training under Skill India is especially praiseworthy that is providing substantial employment skill for seeking job and self-employment.

Major achievements of the Modi Govt to cherish the year is shown in the table below:-

Besides, Modi govt has announced a major step of celebrating आज़ादी का अमृत महोत्सव in the coming 25 yrs of the centenary of independence in 2047. Towards this, enthusing youths and nationals through हर घर तिरंगा and pronouncing पाँच-प्रण during 2022 independence day briefing from the ramparts of Red fort has been well appreciated. Whatever it takes in making India a well-developed and self-reliant State, should make every Indian a proud national. We should all strive to achieve that goal in the coming 25 yrs. India has the opportunity to provide 100% employment to its citizen but Modi Govt seems reluctant to walk that extra mile (read “Employment for All Indians: A Possibility”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/employment-for-all-indians-a-possibility/).

Modi govt’s handling of foreign affairs has been mixed. A neutral approach to the Russia-Ukraine war has been lauded but dealing with the Chinese has been subdued, far from satisfactory. India failed miserably in its diplomacy to let Pakistan off the hooks of FATF. It was widely expected that during its presidency of UNSC, India will put-up resolution to declare Pakistan a ‘Terror-sponsoring State’ but nationals were disappointed (read “Golden opportunity to label Pakistan as Terrorist State”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/Pakistan-terror-sponsor-state-terrorist-jihadi-un-unsc/). India also failed to kick-start the ‘UNSC Reforms’ put in cold-storage by China and some others.

India being the largest democracy, is not untouched by its evils that even USA and some European nations are suffering with. Political chauvinism by the adversaries and opposition has been taking heavy tolls whether in the form of “BLM” and far Right & Left activism in USA or by marginalised political parties in Europe and India. Indian Democracy under Modi Govt has been a rejoice since independence. In spite of numerous dis-information campaigns, abuses hurled and death threats issued to PM by major opposition parties 24x7 on numerous print and digital media, Modi govt has been very tolerant, not indulging in any retaliatory action whereas the provincial govts ruled by opposition parties are highly vindictive; punishing BJP workers and Hindu activists protesting against their policies of ‘vote bank politics’ as well as anyone criticising state govts. Today national TV, Digital & Print Media is vibrant as never before. Partisan UN bodies have been projecting India in poor light incl the recent categorisation of Global Hunger Index in which India has been shown below Pakistan and Sri Lanka (read “Is India Really Low on Global Hunger Index???”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/india-low-on-global-hunger-index/). Yet Modi Govt didn’t take any punitive action against them. Democratic values of India were highly applauded in the peaceful conduct of elections in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, Gujarat and Himachal during this period.

Problem Areas

It must be acknowledged that the year counting from the last Republic day has not been without problems. Islamists have cast their dark shadows of Jihad following what transpired in a TV debate of tit-for-tat of utterances on religious issues of Gyanwapi mosque (read "इस्लाम की हैवानियत" https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/beasthood-of-islam/). Radical Muslims have been allowed to create riots in Rajasthan and West Bengal and Union Home minister could do nothing. Islamic radicalism was also in the forefront of news thru’ their unacceptance of court orders on Hijab ban in schools and loudspeakers at Azans. PFI and SDPI plot of “Gazva-e-Hind” was revealed in Bihar with several tentacles spreading to Islamic radicals in Andhra, Kerala, West Bengal etc. Banning of PFI alone seems inadequate step (read “PFI Ban: Govt Treating Symptoms Not the Disease”,https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/pfi-ban-govt-treating-symptoms-not-the-disease/). Islamists of India and abroad are again indulging in hate & intolerance (read “Britain Diseased with Islamic Cancer”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/britain-diseased-with-islamic-cancer/). They are committing Jihad thru murders of Hindus in J&K and elsewhere.

Modi Govt may not be answerable to Islamist anti-Hindu intolerance abroad BUT…Indian Hindus must be prevented from falling prey thru’ several forms of Jihad. While religious preaching by all faiths and religions is fine, none should be permitted to change the religious demography of India which the Islamists are continuously indulgent thru “जिहाद-अल–दावा”.Hindu properties are looted through Waqf Boards and Modi govt is unable to protect (read “Waqf Acts of ‘Loot-India’, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/waqf-acts-of-loot-india/). PM Narendra Modi or the Indian Bureaucracy is no fool not to realise that Islam was, is and will always remain hostile to India and its Hindus (read “भारत में बढ़ती मुस्लिम आवादी: एक खतरा”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/increasing-indian-muslim-population-a-danger/ and “60 Hateful & Intolerant Verses of Quran (Part-1 & 2), https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/60-hateful-intolerant-verses-quran-part-1/ and https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/60-hateful-intolerant-verses-quran-part-2/).

PM Modi is asking his party workers to reach out to certain sections of Muslims from whom he is hopeful of getting votes…BUT…both he and his party knows very well that even though majority of Muslims in India are as peace-loving and patriotic as anyone of us, Islam per se is incompatible with peaceful coexistence as elaborated in the reference articles above. There may not be any alternative but to amending the hate-preaching Quran (read “Islamic Hate & Intolerance: Treat the Disease not Symptoms”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/islamic-hate-and-intolerance-treat-disease-not-symptoms/) or follow the Chinese model of Islam that has prevented Islamic radicalism in China (read “India must adopt the Chinese model of Islam” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/world-must-adopt-chinese-model-of-islam/). Modi govt which is termed a Hindu nationalist party abroad, has long realised the menace of religious conversions by Islamists and Christian missionaries in their respective dominant states…to an extent that even Supreme Court has taken cognisance and expressed concerns but Modi govt has been unable to take effective steps to prevent it. Conversion game against Hindus in Telangana and Tamilnadu is worthy of mention in recent years.

It may be time to think of making India a “Hindu Rashtra” (read “भारत एक ‘हिन्दू-राष्ट्र’ हो”, https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/india-hindu-nation-rashtra-indian-religions/). It stands to reason for India and the UN to acknowledge that if 32% Christians in the world could have 11 “Christian States”, 23% Muslims 43 Islamic nations, 6% Buddhist 4 Buddhist States and <1% Jews the Jewish state of Israel, why 16% of Hindu cannot have even one “Hindu State”. Modi govt must act on this line. Hindu nationals are already posing feelers to Modi govt before the 2024 general elections in India. None should have doubt that ‘vote bank politicians’ will try to sabotage the formation of a Hindu Rashtra.

‘Agnipath’ handling of the govt has been anything but satisfactory. It demonstrated inept handling by the ministers which caused the destruction of hundreds of crore rupees worth of public properties during the ensuing arsons. Similar was the inept handling of ED questioning of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for their corruption and fraud in the National Herald case. Modi govt unable to take-up much-awaited reforms in home and foreign affairs has been unimaginative.

There is also a let-down in the national defence across LoC and LAC (read “Defence India: Why Our Armed Forces Cannot…..?” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/why-armed-forces-cannot/). In spite of the intelligence of the jihadi terrorist’s in large numbers waiting to infiltrate at the launch pads across LoC, Indian Armed Forces have been unable to neutralise them at their hideouts. Similarly, India’s defence monitoring across LAC has been unsatisfactory. As a result of which, PLA tried several infiltrations unsuccessfully at several points incl one in Tawang sector (read “Another Chinese PLA Misadventure at Tawang Sector” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/another-chinese-pla-misadventure-at-tawang-sector/).

The worst form of the govt inefficiency shows in the form of their failure to take the political adversaries and opposition together. It is their responsibility to take the opposition parties along in national interest and it doesn't seem to be happening. Electorally decimated national opposition parties are becoming desperate for return to power and in that bid, they intend to commit any act incl eliminating the PM (as expressed by some). Although PM Modi's intents are never questionable, his ministers (in Modi 2.0) by now have given enough demonstration of how not to do things whether it was enacting CAA, Farms act, Agnipath schemes and so on. In recent years, some of our nationals (like Tiesta Setawad and a few Congress leaders) are colluding with international broadcasters like BBC and Al-Jazeera to malign PM Modi on various issues incl the Gujrat riots of 2002 for which he has been given clean chit by none other than our prestigious Supreme Court. They however, never utter that Tiesta herself has been held culpable by the SC in falsely fabricating evidence in that case.

There have been a few national political degradations too. Indian polity has degraded in its quality and few institutions have revealed themselves of vulgar expressions of hate against the nation and the nationals as observed during various protests…be it Gyanwapi issue, ED’s actions against corrupt, initiation of Khalistani terrorism in Punjab (whose threads lead to Pakistan and Canada) or Islamic hate & intolerance against Hindus in J&K, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Kerala. Opposition political parties seem desperate and that gives an impression that in each and every people's protest, there is possibly an invisible political hand; and that also compels many of us to think that when our wrestling daughters are on protest against Wrestling Federation President, some political groups are lining behind them.

Concluding Thoughts

Modi govt has brought many laurels to the nation in the last one year that his political adversaries and opponent will surely try to discredit. Indian Nation is surely progressing despite Covid pandemic. Inflation has been under check and providing jobs to all Indian hands a real possibility. We are the fastest growing major economy and 5th largest economy in the world. The massive vaccination campaign has provided adequate preventive shield against the ills of Covid19 pandemiics. The nation is fast marching towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. India has now a prominent status in the world and been recently assigned the presidency of the G-20, setting up world agendas, trying to resolve many issues that the past presidents were unsuccessful.

Growing radicalism in the country also raises an important question as to whether Islam is compatible with secular co-existence with the Hindu majority. We don’t know to what extent will our “Vote-Bank” politicians tarnish the image of India and to what extent will they behave as anti-nationals? The present gove also seems failing by not taking the opposition political parties along. It is for all of us to decide. One must not forget they are all our natives, our citizens, most of whom had equal pride in the national flag at some stage. Some of those political parties were participants in the independence movements of India. There may be some reason behind their alienation. It is the government of the day who will have to make positive intent to take them along which will also match its intent of “सबका साथ,सबका विकास,सबका विश्वास”.