India
is now less than 16 months away from the next general elections in 2019, unless
it the Prime Minister decides to call elections earlier. Every election, be it
at a panchayat election, a municipal election, a state election or a Lok Sabha
by-election, the press makes this into an analysis of how the country will vote
in the Lok Sabha elections. Every loss of the BJP is interpreted and talked
about as a potential rout for the ruling party.
Were
expectations of the electorate taken to such a high level in the 2014 elections
that no achievement, however big or small, seems to satisfy some of the voters
any longer? Or is it simply a group of politicians and journalists with high
decibel vocal cords who have still not understood or accepted that the nation
gave a clear mandate to the BJP in 2014 who elected Mr Modi as their leader?
Politicians
and bureaucrats, who believe in their “entitlement” have not been able to
accept the unconventional steps being taken by the Prime Minister in virtually
every sphere. What galls them even more that he and his ministers are getting
results. This Government does not believe in “this is how it was always done in
the past”, though opposition politicians keep harping on the old ways. Corrupt
politicians have been jailed while inefficient bureaucrats have been
transferred or sent into retirement. The work ethic is coming back into
Government offices and the common person is beginning to get their work done –
something that was theirs by right and not as a favour.
The
Prime Minister has changed the paradigm.
There
is no holy grail any longer.
The
opposition has not been able to find a single case of corruption in this
Government and therefore they have no choice but to find a response to every decision
taken. After all, they too have to survive and hopefully, thrive, in some future
election.
It
is easy to blame the Prime Minister for everything. From the price of onions to
potholes in the roads, from relations with neighbouring countries to law and order
in every city and from pollution in the capital to the response to Padmaavat
and not reigning in the Kaarni Sena. Everyone blames the Prime Minister and
expects him to answer for everything.
Instead
of accepting the huge strides India has made in the past four years, we are
busy castigating the leader and the party.
Even
if the Congress leadership grudgingly wish to accept the accomplishments of the
Modi Government, they have a “Yes But” answer to everything.
Let
us look at some of these significant achievements and direction setting that
has been done by this Government over the past few years as well as the completely
irrelevant responses of our “Yes But” brigade. Results of some of these
actions will be seen over the next few years.
· Swachh Bharat
is an initiative, a national movement, the Mr Modi announced from the ramparts
of the Red Fort in his first speech and he was mocked by many in the opposition
for raising this at an Independence Day speech. Today, there is a marked
improvement in the consciousness of the people on cleanliness.
Yes
But, I see trash in my locality is the
standard comment of every opposition politician! They take exceptional pride in
being able to take photographs of trash and posting it on social media.
· Bank accounts
for all were promised and implemented with zero balance for every citizen of
the country. Such financial inclusion has not been experienced in seven decades
post independence.
Yes
But, where is the Rs 15 lakhs promised to
everyone during the election rallies, say the naysayers, refusing to accept the
success of the Jan Dhan scheme?
· Surgical Strike
launched by the Indian Army against Pakistan was a courageous and morale
boosting decision that was taken. Never would have the Indian Army imagined
that they too could become the subject of questions and in future needed to
carry cameras into the battlefield to prove their claims.
Yes
But, “show us evidence of the surgical
strike” say the opposition politicians trying to cause uncertainty among the
people. They are out only to score a political point.
· Demonetisation
came as a surprise to everyone. This was one of the harshest action taken
against black money circulating in the economy. This move also wiped out the
large quantum of fake notes that were being pushed into our economy from our
Western neighbour. All political parties cried foul and businesspersons
complained incessantly. Those sitting with large hoards of cash were hurt, not
the common person.
Yes
But, look at the challenges faced by the
common person and look at Gujarat election results, which gave a fitting
response against the demonetisation.
· GST,
possibly one of the most dramatic financial legislation undertaken in India
since independence, has unified the country into a single tax zone. This has
been lauded all over the world except by our opposition politicians and some businesspersons
who have been used to concealing income to evade taxes. Everyone talks about
the loss to the small businessperson but no one talks about the millions of
truck drivers who have gained a more than 30% time advantage because they do
not have to waste time waiting at state borders.
Even
the upgrade by Moody’s after the implementation of GST has refused to get any
plaudits or a grudging acknowledgement from the Congress despite the fact that
the rating upgrade is for the nation and not for the ruling party or the Prime
Minister.
Yes
But, the implementation of the “Gabbar
Singh Tax” has been poor says Rahul Gandhi not knowing what else to say to
criticise which he must!
· Make in India
as an initiative cannot be questioned by anyone given its simplicity and
intent. All that the Prime Minister has been asking for is to manufacture in
India thus creating economic activity and jobs. In the process, he is inviting
foreign investors to set up manufacturing facilities in India.
Yes
But, what about the beef ban say our
naysayers who cannot find anything else to question or criticise. When nothing
else work, they criticise the metallic lion symbol of Make in India.
· Ease of Doing Business
rating by the World Economic Forum showed that India has climbed from 142nd
rank to 100th rank in the World. The country has received record
foreign investments and foreign reserves are at an all-time high.
Yes
But, say our opposition leaders, the fringe
is creating havoc and frightening away the investors.
· GDP Growth
hit a decade low of 5% in 2012/13, to 7.9% in 2015/16 and faced a drop
subsequently due to the temporary impact of demonetisation. India is seen as
the fastest growing economy for the near future and with more fundamental
corrections being made to the economy, growth will become more robust.
Yes
But, says the former Finance Minister, what
about saffronisation of the country?
· Triple Talaq
is one of the most far-reaching legislations for the Muslim community affecting
women. Millions of women who were at the mercy of their husbands have been
given relief. Barring some interested men from the community, almost everyone
has welcomed this.
Yes
But, says the opposition without
acknowledging the significant role played by the Government in getting this
implemented, what about Love Jihad?
·
International Diplomacy
of the Prime Minister has made India into a highly talked about subject in
virtually every boardroom in the World. Our reforms and the political stability
makes India a very attractive destination for potential investors. We can see
the results with the records investments pouring into the country.
Yes
But, says the opposition who have no way to
counter this, “The Prime Minister travels too much and has become non
resident”.
·
Aadhar Card,
started by the UPA Government has been taken forward by leaps and bounds by the
NDA Government. It is the poorer people of society who will benefit from the
direct benefit transfer and all other associated reliefs. Linking bank accounts
to Income Tax returns, gas cylinders, driving licences, passports, investments
etc will make our nation more transparent and inclusive.
Yes
But Aadhar is an invasion of my privacy and
violates my fundamental rights say people who do not want transparency because
what they have will now be visible to all.
The
diversionary tactics of opposition members by questioning every move of this
government are clear. They want to somehow create havoc with their comments and
create some doubt in the minds of the electorate.
John
F Kennedy famously remarked in his inauguration speech - “Ask not what your
country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.
This
is the time for each one of us to internalise these words carefully and make it
a part of our own mindset. If we want to see India occupy its logical place in
the comity of nations, we need to think of what we can do for our country.
*******************
The author is the founder Chairman of
Guardian Pharmacies and the author of 5 best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent.
Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office; An Eye for
an Eye; The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur and The Buck
Stops Here – My Journey from a Manager to an Entrepreneur.
Twitter: @gargashutosh
Instagram: ashutoshgarg56
Blog: ashutoshgargin.wordpress.com |
ashutoshgarg56.blogspot.com
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