Modi and Modern India

The power and beauty of democracy lie in the freedom it gives the citizen to choose. With freedom comes responsibility. The opposition has equal responsibility in running a government as the ruling party. If the opposition lead a struggle against a government elected by the people with no consideration to the situation or the context, its action and relevance will be put to question by the public. Before the election, a political party or front will put before the people the plans and policies it intends to implement when they come to power. If a particular political party or front is elected, it can be considered as the endorsement of the policies they had put forward. In a democratic process, the opposition parties must evaluate, respect and act in accordance with the will of the people.

It has to be said that no other Prime Minister had to endure as much opposition and criticism faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since came to power. Protests and agitations in many parts of India seem to suggest that Narendra Modi is not constitutionally the Prime Minister of India. Modi became the Prime Minister of India because the manifesto and policies presented by him and his front were appreciated by the people. It is his duty to live up to that prophetic popularity. Those who have lost power are sure to be against him but it is an injustice and inappropriateness to the majority’s verdict.

“A good government should listen to the poor and stand for the poor. So this government is committed to the poor and the millions of young people and mothers and daughters who strive for their wellbeing and dignity. This government is for the villagers, farmers, adivasis, dalits and the oppressed. It is for their upliftment. We are committed to this mission." These are the lines from Modi's speech at the Central Hall of Parliament in 2014 when he became the 18th Prime Minister of India. The results of the May 16, 2014 Lok Sabha elections revealed the relentless desire of every citizen of the country to uplift a nation that was collapsing economically, socially and culturally. The BJP has brought a coalition government to power with a verdict that has not been given to any other leader or party in the last two and a half decades.

The Narendra Modi government came to power at a time when the country's growth rate was below 5 per cent, inflation was alarmingly high, industrial production was declining and foreign investors were losing faith in the Indian economy. In his first year in office, Modi created order out of chaos in the administration. He adopted an approach in which all ministries were coordinated with the Prime Minister's Office. This greatly increased the efficiency of project implementation. At the same time, India began to make its voice heard globally. Every move since Modi took office as Prime Minister has strengthened the Third World and created an alternative to the imperialist powers. An example is the move to form a Brexit Bank to replace the IMF and the World Bank, and India's promotion to its chairmanship. The Narendra Modi government said that it would sign the WTO agreement only if the conditions were altered, despite pressure from the world community and the United States to sign the agreement to facilitate free trade. This is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has taken a firm stand that India will not sign any agreement other than the ones to ensure the survival of the farmers. The WTO had repealed and amended the agreement in response to Modi's suggestions.

No impartial observer can ignore the popular schemes implemented by the first Modi government in the previous years. From reforms like free cooking gas connections to 50 million needy housewives, land and houses of their own for all landless and homeless people, toilets in all schools across the country, Jandhan Yojana, health care, Swachata Abhiyan, Mudrabank, Sukanyasamrudhi scheme, Janshadhi and Atal pension scheme, doubling of compensation for losses in agriculture, bringing auto drivers and construction workers under ESI plans, it is clear that no previous government has come up with so many schemes for the common man. The Modi government came to power at a time when the country's industrial output was declining and foreign investors were losing faith in the Indian economy. The Modi government has solved both problems through FDI and the Make in India scheme. Even China now lags behind India in terms of foreign investment. In 2015 alone, various countries invested $ 63 billion in India. Similarly, India is the country that created the highest number of jobs in the world in 2015.

The Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana and the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, based on the motto 'Sarvebhavanthu Sukhina' with the aim of bringing the poor into the mainstream, are unprecedented welfare schemes. The Beti Bachao, Beti Pathao and Sukanya Samridhi Yojana schemes for the upliftment of girls have made a huge impact on the lives of girls in Indian villages. The security measures implemented in the health sector are envied even by the developed western countries. Their benefits were also seen by the nation during the COVID period. An insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh for every family is something that not even a single government in India envisioned before or after independence. It is the implementation of such innovative schemes that has led the people to re-elect Modi as Prime Minister. In future, India will continue to enjoy the benefits of science and technology projects such as Start-up India, Stand-up India, Oil Reserve, Bharat Mala, Sagarmala Project and Digital India implemented by the Modi government. The spread of the COVID epidemic poses great challenges to a nation as populated as India. A large portion of the nation's resources has to be spent exclusively on combating the epidemic alone. It is only natural that the functioning and focus of government should shift over to this direction. It must be remembered that India is not weakened in defense or in its economy in spite of all this.

Foreign rating agencies and the IMF predict that India will become the world's number one economic power in the near future. The reactionary forces, which are disturbed by the growth and rise of India, are constantly trying to destabilize the country by inciting religious and ethnic racism. They keep giving it fuel and fodder. We as patriots should defend our country against such divisive forces. The country is now ruled by a government elected by the people. Those who make a fuss should not forget this.