12 opportunities Modi sarkar missed in 2015
The Narendra Modi government at the Centre took several landmark initiatives, which, if pursued with vigour and right earnest, will change the fate of the country. However, there are several instances which go to prove that the BJP-led NDA government missed several opportunities to raise its stocks. Most of the issues discussed below had been promised by the BJP in its election manifesto before the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
One can argue that there is sufficient time left as the government still has three-and-half years to rule. However, as a counter-argument, it can certainly be said the government has already completed almost one-third (more than 19 of the 60 months) of its term without any considerable change on the ground. Secondly, it could have got advantage of fulfilling even a part of its promises in the forthcoming Assembly elections to be held in the next three years before the next Lok Sabha election.
A good performance in the Assembly elections will ensure better representation in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is in a minority and, hence, is failing to get its flagship reform measures passed. This, in turn, will give the NDA an edge over its rivals in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. However, the government seems to have missed several opportunities in 2015 to improve its standing in the eyes of the people and has risked to be a loser.
1. Price rise
The BJP had targeted the Congress-led UPA government over prise rise and runaway food inflation crippling household budgets. The BJP had then lamented that the UPA government did not act upon the report submitted by the Committee of Chief Ministers, headed by Modi, on food inflation in 2011. The party boasted about the "record" of having checked the prices during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rule. However, Modi government's record is not much better than of its predecessor - an instance being the price of dal which had sky-rocketed a couple of months back. The BJP had talked of setting up special courts and a price stabilisation fund to check hoarding and black marketing. However, one has not heard of any such move so far.
The prices of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel have also remained on the higher side even though the crude oil price has crashed. It was hovering above $100 per barrel during the UPA regime and, after falling constantly since then, has come below $50 per barrel. If petrol would cost around Rs 75 then, it still costs high at Rs 61. The government has not passed on the benefit to the consumers.
2. Employment
In run-up to the Lok Sabha election, Modi would lash out at the Manmohan Singh government over lack of employment opportunities in the country. One has not heard labour-intensive manufacturing units or tourism getting a boost under the present government.
3. Black money
The BJP leaders had promised to bring back black money parked in foreign countries within 100 days of coming to power. However, that promise has turned out to be hollow. This promise of the BJP has become a laughing stock and the Opposition has been cornering the Centre over it. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad had made it one of the issues before the Assembly elections and it found resonance among the voters.
4. Poor delivery
There has hardly been any difference on this count since the UPA days. Wherever people go, they still face bottlenecks on a daily basis - be they government offices for even the simplest of public services or in the courts. Babudom still rules the roost and red-tapism has refused to be cut. The people still feel harassed to no end. Greasing of palms of the babus for getting even the most genuine of works done is still the rule if the days. The government has so far failed to remove bottlenecks and missing links in all sectors, activities and services. It has not been able to focus on proper planning and execution for right outcomes. Modi would talk about scale and speed for accomplishing of tasks. However, both are missing so far.
5. Centre-state relations
There has not been much headway on this front. The Team India spirit, which is Modi's refrain till now, has not been able to get instilled. Harmonious relations evade the Centre and the states. The Congress-ruled states cry hoarse over step-motherly treatment. Nitish Kumar too has been complaining about partisan behaviour of the Centre toward the Bihar government. The least said is better about the Modi government's relations with the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi.
6. Women
The BJP had promised according a high priority at all levels within the government to women's welfare and development. It had also reiterated its commitment to 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and state assemblies through a constitutional amendment. It was one of the easiest promises to be fulfilled. The Rajya Sabha has already passed the Women's Reservation Bill to this effect in March 2010. The Bill remains to be passed in the Lok Sabha where the NDA is in a majority and has support from other opposition parties, particularly the Congress. Had the Bill become an Act, the BJP would have claimed credit for it and derived political mileage in the Bihar Assembly elections, where women are believed to have voted in support of Nitish-led Mahagathbandhan. Not attempting to get the Bill passed has been one of the greatest misses of the Modi sarkar in 2015.
7. Jammu and Kashmir
Despite the promise that Kashmiri Pandits would be able to return to the land of their ancestors with full dignity, security and assured livelihood had figured high on the BJP's agenda, the ground reality has not changed. They are still living as refugees in their own country. The government has not taken any step to abrogate Article 370, despite its long-standing commitment to the issue.
8. Judicial, police and electoral reforms
Justice delayed is justice denied. Justice is still being denied as it is still delayed. There has been no change from the previous situation. The problem of high pendency of cases remain as it was without the issue having been addressed. No mechanism has been set up for speedy clearance of the backlog of cases at various levels in the judiciary, which concerns the common man.
The police forces are still not empowered with the authority, independence and resources necessary to deliver results. There has been no comprehensive strategy for bringing the Indian police at par with international standards either.
The BJP will appear different if it brings a legislation to keep out criminals away from elections and reduce electoral expenditure. It has not evolved any method of holding Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.
9. Media blitzkrieg
The Centre's media outreach has been far from satisfactory. Even on issues on which the government could have scored a point over the rivals, it failed to put its point of view across on several occasions. For instance, on the beef ban and cow slaughter issue, it could not amplify the point that ban on cow slaughter has a legal sanctity and its violation is illegal in most parts of the country. They also failed to convince the so-called Gandhians that even Mahatma Gandhi had opposed cow slaughter. The issue finds mention in Article 48 of Indian Constitution, under Part IV dealing with Directive Principles of State Policy. It is banned in 25 of the 29 states, having varying degrees of punishment and fine. The Opposition and so-called liberal-secular class drummed up the notion that the Centre and the BJP-ruled states were imposing Hindutva agenda on the people.
10. Minorities
Instead of doing anything concrete for the minorities, the government has only marginalised them. The government may not be directly responsible for the acts of omission or commission but it did could not rein in the rabble rousers not only among the fringe elements but also among the ruling party members and even some ministers. Modernisation of madarsas still remains a far cry.
11. Uniform Civil Code
Article 44 of the constitution of India lists Uniform Civil Code as one of the Directive Principles of state policy. BJP has said it believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time India adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women. The BJP has not yet drafted a Uniform Civil Code.
12. GST Bill
Because of its obstructionist attitude, the Opposition, particularly the Congress, may be responsible for the non-passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. But the BJP and Modi are no less responsible for it. The government cannot expect the Opposition to cooperate if they adopt a confrontationist approach towards them inside and outside Parliament.
The government still has two-thirds of its term in hand to fulfil its promises and reap benefits. The sooner it does, the better for it.