First 100 days is known as the Honeymoon period - be it marriage, job or government. Expectations are low, the benefits of doubt take your side. The partner in your life or colleagues at work are less judgemental as one is prone to lesser scrutiny. A lot could be achieved it this timeframe until the universal law of "Familiarity breeds Contempt" sips in. Nothing lasts forever. Like it or not, the happy honeymoon is bound to come to its natural end - sooner or later.
Here is my take on the first 100 days of the Modi led BJP-NDA government. Though constitutionally we are a Parliamentary democracy, the last Election (certainly not first as Nehru, Indira and Rajeev Gandhi have done this before) was fought Presidential style. According to a Poll 35% Indians who cast their vote for BJP admitted they wouldn't have voted for the Party if Modi was not their Prime Minister candidate. That's a sizable number when often few thousands, even a few hundred votes makes the difference between win and loss in a Parliamentary constituency.
First and the foremost - the positives. The government taking the advantage of the honeymoon period and the pervasive hyper nationalism has scrapped the controversial Article 370 in Kashmir. It's a step in the right direction. But it's a long journey towards stability in the turbulent state - a rocky road ahead and Pakistan hellbent on creating potholes. Those crazy BJP supporters need to wait to fulfill their cherished dream (rather fantasy filled hallucinations) to settle down in Kashmir Valley with fair skinned local girls.
Next, from what I hear the Modi led government has curtailed entitlement culture of Lutyens Delhi to a certain extent. The Babus are working more and playing less Golf. Leeches and parasites are less seen in the the power corridors and accompanying the Prime Minister on his foreign tours at tax payers expense. It won't be so easy for the government to take head on the well entrenched corrupt and inefficient Babudom (Bureaucratcy) in Delhi and the rest of India, yet credit should be given where credit is due.
Now let's come to the negatives. The GDP growth rather than accelerating like Ussain Bolt towards the end of his sprint, now more resembles me slowly huffing and puffing to the finish line in a 100 meter race. The economic slowdown is real. It has been acknowledged by the economists, except of course the BHAKTs (means devotees, but a term ascribed to die hard fans of Modi, BJP, RSS etc) who live in their own make believe world.
Rather questioning their own leadership, they are leaving no stone unturned in blaming everyone else including Gandhi, Nehru, Pakistan, Fake news, Paid media, and Global slowdown. (For information to those who are blaming the economic downturn on global slowdown, the largest economy in the world called United States is doing pretty well as of now, with its consumer confidence still pretty good). Even Dr. Swami, once a Bette Noire of BJP and now an ardent supporter of the party hasn't shied away from pointing to the holes in the current state of the economy.
Also, BJP supposed to be party with a difference has aped Congress in its practice of breaking the vulnerable opposition state governments. Best examples was the recent mockery of democracy in the state of Karnataka. Inspired by the Modi - Shah duo 15 odd opposition MLAs flew on their own to Mumbai in a private airplane and stayed in 5 Star hotel, footing the bill using their meager MLA salary from their pockets.
The Karnataka government would have come down under the weight of its own contradiction. But Bhakts defend this as Realpolitik - a clear case of hypocrisy and double standards when they leave no stone unturned in being critical of the Congress party, which once mastered the same art of breaking opposition led state governments to perfection.
Looking beyond the Honeymoon period here is something I would love the government to do the following 3 things with immediate.
1. Please own the responsibility of the economic slowdown and replace the person heading the equivalent of the Federal Reserve in India and bring a professional on board. No offense to History graduates, but Economics, like Science and Technology Economics is best left to be handled by professionals.
2. Please improve the quality of education and focus on the future generation for inventions and innovations. We might be flying Airplanes and invented TV, internet etc 5,000 years back, but a report as recently as yesterday has not mentioned a single Institute of ours in the list of top 300 global institute. It's time to look forward and produce the first Nobel laureate in Physics since Dr. C V Raman from British India - not exist in the past glory.
3. Please be inclusive, not decisive. Not a single Muslim or Christian friend of mine are happy with you. They are as patriotic as anyone else. Minorities form close to 20% of India's population and we can't throw them to Indian Ocean. We need to embrace them.
As in marriages, honeymoons are known to been followed by disastrous consequences when the reality strikes back with vengeance as the honey dries up and moon suffers from eclipse. Marriage as an institution marriages needs mutual trust and respect to survive long term. Your marriage to the public is no exception. The moonstruck public memory is short and can be fickle - so be careful mate, as it could very well dump you when expections aren't met. Good luck with the rest of your term.
Here is my take on the first 100 days of the Modi led BJP-NDA government. Though constitutionally we are a Parliamentary democracy, the last Election (certainly not first as Nehru, Indira and Rajeev Gandhi have done this before) was fought Presidential style. According to a Poll 35% Indians who cast their vote for BJP admitted they wouldn't have voted for the Party if Modi was not their Prime Minister candidate. That's a sizable number when often few thousands, even a few hundred votes makes the difference between win and loss in a Parliamentary constituency.
First and the foremost - the positives. The government taking the advantage of the honeymoon period and the pervasive hyper nationalism has scrapped the controversial Article 370 in Kashmir. It's a step in the right direction. But it's a long journey towards stability in the turbulent state - a rocky road ahead and Pakistan hellbent on creating potholes. Those crazy BJP supporters need to wait to fulfill their cherished dream (rather fantasy filled hallucinations) to settle down in Kashmir Valley with fair skinned local girls.
Next, from what I hear the Modi led government has curtailed entitlement culture of Lutyens Delhi to a certain extent. The Babus are working more and playing less Golf. Leeches and parasites are less seen in the the power corridors and accompanying the Prime Minister on his foreign tours at tax payers expense. It won't be so easy for the government to take head on the well entrenched corrupt and inefficient Babudom (Bureaucratcy) in Delhi and the rest of India, yet credit should be given where credit is due.
Now let's come to the negatives. The GDP growth rather than accelerating like Ussain Bolt towards the end of his sprint, now more resembles me slowly huffing and puffing to the finish line in a 100 meter race. The economic slowdown is real. It has been acknowledged by the economists, except of course the BHAKTs (means devotees, but a term ascribed to die hard fans of Modi, BJP, RSS etc) who live in their own make believe world.
Rather questioning their own leadership, they are leaving no stone unturned in blaming everyone else including Gandhi, Nehru, Pakistan, Fake news, Paid media, and Global slowdown. (For information to those who are blaming the economic downturn on global slowdown, the largest economy in the world called United States is doing pretty well as of now, with its consumer confidence still pretty good). Even Dr. Swami, once a Bette Noire of BJP and now an ardent supporter of the party hasn't shied away from pointing to the holes in the current state of the economy.
Also, BJP supposed to be party with a difference has aped Congress in its practice of breaking the vulnerable opposition state governments. Best examples was the recent mockery of democracy in the state of Karnataka. Inspired by the Modi - Shah duo 15 odd opposition MLAs flew on their own to Mumbai in a private airplane and stayed in 5 Star hotel, footing the bill using their meager MLA salary from their pockets.
The Karnataka government would have come down under the weight of its own contradiction. But Bhakts defend this as Realpolitik - a clear case of hypocrisy and double standards when they leave no stone unturned in being critical of the Congress party, which once mastered the same art of breaking opposition led state governments to perfection.
Looking beyond the Honeymoon period here is something I would love the government to do the following 3 things with immediate.
1. Please own the responsibility of the economic slowdown and replace the person heading the equivalent of the Federal Reserve in India and bring a professional on board. No offense to History graduates, but Economics, like Science and Technology Economics is best left to be handled by professionals.
2. Please improve the quality of education and focus on the future generation for inventions and innovations. We might be flying Airplanes and invented TV, internet etc 5,000 years back, but a report as recently as yesterday has not mentioned a single Institute of ours in the list of top 300 global institute. It's time to look forward and produce the first Nobel laureate in Physics since Dr. C V Raman from British India - not exist in the past glory.
3. Please be inclusive, not decisive. Not a single Muslim or Christian friend of mine are happy with you. They are as patriotic as anyone else. Minorities form close to 20% of India's population and we can't throw them to Indian Ocean. We need to embrace them.
As in marriages, honeymoons are known to been followed by disastrous consequences when the reality strikes back with vengeance as the honey dries up and moon suffers from eclipse. Marriage as an institution marriages needs mutual trust and respect to survive long term. Your marriage to the public is no exception. The moonstruck public memory is short and can be fickle - so be careful mate, as it could very well dump you when expections aren't met. Good luck with the rest of your term.
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