Where is Narendra Modi going wrong?

Ideally, the question should have been - where is Narendra Modi going right? or What is Narendra Modi doing right? But instead, unfortunately, after more than eight years of his rule, we are faced with the wrong question, or rather we are faced with the question of where did we go wrong in electing him to power? It is to that extent I felt that we need to look at this question why it was not framed in an affirmative way?

After about 25 years, a quarter of a century of coalition government India got its full majority government. Before that, Rajiv Gandhi was the last PM (1984–89) with a full majority. Modi Ji came to power kindling massive hope. In that sense, Modi Ji’s victory in 2014 was an extraordinary affair. India did something that it couldn’t do for 25 years. India was internally struggling to overcome inhibition and give a majority mandate. I am not taking away credit for Modi Ji’s victory in any way. But it was a major victory for India also. India was trying to shake off the impediment of narrow barriers. For a country like India which is divided into caste, creed, religion, language, and regionality, it was not easy. Trust me it requires great sacrifice on people’s part. But we wanted to surge ahead. You have seen how even countries like the USA are battling with their democratic process. So Modi Ji’s victory was a very positive affair not only for BJP but for Indian democracy also.

Now the question comes whether Modi Ji has been able to deliver or hold that hope? Possibly not. It's true that Modi and BJP have been able to secure another full majority victory in 2019 with a bigger margin. Meanwhile, it has been able to expand its footprint to many states. To that extent, Modi Ji going right. But is it a victory for the Indians or a victory for Indian democracy?

No, Modi’s victory has come at the cost of democracy. To ensure its victory BJP resorted to killing other parties by all possible means. This is not positive politics. Modi’s BJP has been trying to create a situation where there would be no alternative so that the nation would be compelled to elect BJP only. India was not looking for this. India didn’t vote for BJP to kill the other parties. India voted for BJP despite the presence of other parties. India didn’t choose BJP as there was no alternative. India chose BJP over other alternatives. Modi Ji simply forgot that he need not be the only choice, he should be the choice over others. He is no longer interested in delivering or establishing his superiority. He has targeted all his energy to destroy all other choices. This is where the question changed - where is Narendra Modi going wrong?

His government forced or manipulated media to become Godi Media pulling the freedom of Press index to 150th rank from 140th position. He diluted the RTI act - clearly showing his intention. And then he started manipulating every organization cutting down their autonomy. Indian democracy got downgraded. He wanted to interfere in the Judges' selection. He has robbed the autonomy of RBI. Appointed people a few notches lower than they should be. He has been directing his energy in the negative direction - going back to question what Nehru, Indira, and Rajiv did? Whereas he should have focused all his energy on what he could do.

He started off well with a great ambitious plan - Make in India, 100 Smart City, Startup India, Clean Ganga, improving India’s foreign relations, and a host of other schemes. But everything fell like a misguided rocket or missile fall. One after another all his rockets launched missed target or failed to take off properly. In fact many of his rocket backfired - Demonitisation, CAA, Farms Bill, Agnipath. Though CAA is officially in place and the governmnet is implementing Agnipath.

But rather than taking corrective action, rather than working on what could be done right, he has become doubly focused on blaming the opposition, doing hate politics, creating polarisation, buying out oppositions, overdosing on religious politics, and manipulating figures. He started finding fault in everything. He found that the GDP calculation method practiced for around 70 years was wrong, he found the highway construction measurement method wrong and needs to be changed. He found the nationalization of Banks wrong, he found all the PSUs are wrong, he found old 500 & 1000 rupee notes wrong, he found all the other currency note design wrong, and now he finds the defense recruitment process practiced for 75 years after independence also wrong.

Has he ever asked himself what he has done right which has taken the nation up, forward? Our economy has gone down, our employment has gone down, our foreign relations have gone down, our banking system has gone down with a huge increase in NPA, our public debt has gone up threefold, fuel prices have gone up, and the rupee has depreciated, inflation has gone up, religious hatred has gone up, horse-trading of MLAs has gone up.

People may argue that ease of doing business has gone up - but where is business growth? People may argue that our Foreign Exchange Reserve has gone up - but then why the external debt has gone up by more than USD 100 billion. People may argue that the size of the economy has gone up - but why is the unemployment highest ever? Why our public debt is unprecedentedly high consuming 43% of revenue receipt in interest payment?

Modi Ji now knows that he has failed. He knows that he can no longer dream of being a better choice. So he is putting his entire effort into being the only choice. This is his defeat. This is what is wrong with him. He has lost the battle, he is nearing the finishing line. Now he is busy fixing a position in history - building temples, building statues, central Vista, and above all taking over a museum and creating a position for himself in his lifetime. This is his way of correcting things at his individual level. He knows he can not improve the economy or the employment. But building a few monuments possibly could help him earn a good place in history.

Modi wanted the people of India to fall in love with him in a deceitful manner, rather than making them fall in love with him truly. In fact, people fell in love with him, but from his side, trust and love have been missing. I would compare this with those husbands who demand love and respect from their wives. Rather than trusting her, and respecting her, husbands try to control their wives, put restrictions, influence them, manipulate them, doubt them, and force them to obey commands. Such husbands feel that have wholesale rights over their wives. But it doesn't happen like that. You can not expect love and respect from your wife without equally respecting her individuality, letting her be free, and trusting her.

People placed their trust in Modi fully, despite all the pain when he asked for 50 days for demonetization and gave him full support. But he has never shown such trust, compassion, or empathy to people in return. When demonetization failed, he never came back to people and said that something went wrong even though his intention was right. Rather he kept on claiming that it was a big success. This is true for all his ventures.

The more he failed the more he went regressive, trying to take entire control in his hand. The trust factor is totally missing. He rather believes in autocracy. He is self-oriented rather than people-oriented. Modi believes that people don't have any alternatives other than him. But he forgets that his power is given by people only.

As pointed out by many we are looking at possibly “the colossal scam of all times in India that is electoral bonds and corporate political funding, introduced through finance bill.” This has changed the entire political game plan. Indian elections have now become completely money-driven. Whoever can spend more money can win the election. Not only that with massive money power BJP can buy any number of MLA, MPs, and even party support, pull down government, and form government through the back door. This has devastated the democracy.