The twenty
third day of May, 2019, saw a historic event unfold. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi showed his ability to convert hope into confidence, a rare feat in recent
Indian electoral history, and that, too, through sheer performance. This vote
of trust I hope will result in transforming the governance machinery which can
be trusted as much as the trust in a person.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra’s tweet hit the nail
on the head: “Size of the country (Land mass + population) X Size of the
Economy X Size of the election mandate = Leader’s Power Quotient. By the
measure of this crude formula, @narendramodi is about to become the most
powerful, democratically-elected leader in the world today…”
The power of
the people comes across through this mandate. Many of the 350 million people
earning Rs. 33 / day refused the promise (rather a bribe to vote) of Rs. 72,000 / year
and instead voted for leadership. It is quite clear that people have voted for
trust, integrity and decisiveness that are critical for the future of India.
Past governments, through doles and freebies, had turned people into beggars.
Rarely would you find a country where segments of society wish to get
classified as backward to seek some government entitlement. Obviously, giving
doles was the strategy of ‘deception’ of past rulers – to get votes, cover up
non-performance and continue to divide the society. This vote is a long-overdue
moment where people chose decisive, strong, trustworthy and goal-oriented
leadership. Moreover, this happened in spite of the strongly negative,
concocted and vicious atmosphere created by media and politicians.
There is little doubt that allegations of
corruption at high places during the last five years have been reduced to
nothing. Money and tangible government benefits reaching people are provable. A
taxi driver was telling me that he went to his village 500 km. away to vote for
Modi. Another from near Varanasi told me about dramatic changes he saw in his
village. I have been to Varanasi before 2014 and the oldest living holy city
had turned into an unpleasant place. I went there in 2018 and saw the change.
People saw that the tone at the top also translated into actual delivery.
It is
important to note who and what got defeated. Dynasts – all across – people rejected
family-owned party systems and the entitled vote-seekers who didn’t show vision
or performance and only sought power and power alone. The 21-party
power-seeking group who couldn’t give any alternative narrative (couldn’t even
give a PM face) except projecting a monster out of Modi, were rejected. The
second set of losers is Communists – the Tukde Tukde gang, the
breaking-India forces – they got ‘Azadi’ from being in the Lok Sabha! The third
set of losers is in the media – I have never seen such consistent, slimy and
vulgar stooping down. Bias without basis, propping a disproportionate one-sided
view, pelting negativity and uttering utter lies. It was shocking to see the
likes of TIME magazine and NY Times also roped into this.
The vote was
a buy-in for the Modi story of New India. His Articulation and Eloquence, Will
and Work, Intention and Execution, balance between Idealism and Realism, and
above all demonstrable love for the nation came across loud and clear. And so
the ‘Chowkidar’ did turn out to be a ‘Chor’ – he stole the hearts of people and
even the votes which opponents may have got if they had remained sincere and
discreet.
The vote is a unifying one. People seem to have overcome decades of divisions
and seem to have voted for leadership and cohesion. I hope this will see a
beginning of end of divisions and divisiveness and people seeing themselves as
Indians above all. Perhaps the winners will understand that poverty alleviation
does not need division- based benefits. For this change to come, the citizens
will have to assimilate what the victor meant when he said (and I paraphrase): There
will remain only two jaatis (segments) in the country – The poor who
want to come out of poverty and (the second will be) those who want to bring
the poor out of poverty. This is the dream we should carry.
Raman Jokhakar
Editor
