For Modi, Good Governance is just a day

There are two ways of reading the infamous stealing of Christmas this year by Grinch Modi. When the day is suddenly rechristened (forgive the bitter irony) Good Governance Day, there is first the official explanation. That it will be a day to stress on good governance, a plank that won Modi his landslide victory earlier this year. They say that having a day dedicated to governance reflects the intentions of the regime.

Of course, there is an alternate reading of the day too, triggered by what the country has been witnessing since Narendra Modi assumed power in May this year. There is unprecedented hatred, vitriolic speeches by BJP and other leaders of the Sangh, and an espousal for Hindu Rashtra.

That triumphalism has to be accompanied by a sustained agenda of minority bullying - the theft of Christmas is only its latest manifestation - and an aggressive pushing of the saffron agenda through India's academic and cultural plurality.

The truth is good governance, or even governance per se, has hardly made any headline in the last seven months. A quick scan reveals an inventory of Hindutva terms made mainstream this year: Love Jihad, conversion (and reconversion), Ghar Wapsi, Hindu Rashtra and of course, a temple for Ram and even Mahatma Gandhi's killer, Nathuram Godse.

It is difficult not to ignore the irony of good governance in such a mess. More so when it is accompanied by a dreadful silence - or at best a slap on the wrist - from the man who matters: PM Modi himself.

It will not be unfair in such a case to brand the famous good governance pitch on this day as yet another spin. A facade that hides the real faces. So dear PM, good or bad, just give us the freaking governance for a change. You promised it. Does it now even figure in your 2015 resolution list?