Tag Archives: lok sabha

The Real Dance of Indian Democracy

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A finger of a new woman voter on the Indian flag with voting sign of India in 2019 Indian general election or Lok Sabha election at Kolkata.

The Lok Sabha elections of 2024 have been riveting. The BJP-led NDA alliance seems to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory despite forming the government at the Centre for the third time in succession. The Congress-led INDIA bloc has transformed itself into a resurgent Opposition. Amusingly enough, there is now no talk of tampering of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines); and no allegations that the Election Commission of India is a lackey of the Modiji government. Indeed, the fact that elections have been efficiently conducted in 7 phases with minimal disturbances and in acute heat wave conditions is a remarkable achievement—a triumph for democracy.

This election is a Reality Check for the overconfident BJP Netas and party functionaries. At 240 seats- losing a significant 63 from the 2019 tally of 303. This is a huge wake-up call for those living in the bubble-hype of ‘is baar, 400 ke paar.’ (More than 400 this time around.) However, on the other side, the entire INDIA coalition of parties secured 234 seats with the Grand Old Party at 99 seats. The BJP vote share in 2019 stood at 37.4 % and in 2024 at 37.37%. The big setbacks came in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In the Hindi heartland State, the Samajwadi Party stunned Yogi Adityanath’s government by winning 37 seats. The BJP lost 29 seats from their erstwhile tally of 62 seats. The INC performed creditably with 6 seats. The party’s Ayodhya candidate (a done deal, what?) lost big by stoking fears with his irresponsible comments about changing the Constitution after the elections were over. The old Muslim-Yadav bloc which had voted in significant numbers for the BJP in 2019 consolidated into an anti-BJP force. Other local factors also created resentment. Economic corridors, highways and projects are all good to see but the affected locals did not benefit. They got a few lakhs for their lands and kutcha houses but saw the privileged stakeholders minting crores of rupees. In this era of omnipresent social media, no political party can take its eyes off the ball. In Maharashtra, the break-up of the NCP, seen to be engineered by the BJP, was regarded as an act of betrayal of their Saheb by his nephew not only by the Marathas but by many Maharashtrian voters. After 10 years in power, the BJP had lost its strongest asset- the ear-to-the-ground approach with disciplined cadres providing their leadership with critical ground information. In Delhi, the very same party swept all the 7 Lok Sabha seats even with Mr. Arvind Kejriwal playing his victim card with full support from the Opposition parties and even international media. The Delhi CM’s stint in jail was played out as the death of democracy.

The BJP’s ‘Big Brother’ persona has also cost it dearly. In Andhra Pradesh, it gained some traction because of the tie-up with Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP. Likewise, if they had continued their partnership with the Akali Dal, it would have paid dividends in Punjab. If they had the sense to continue with their pact with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu at least 10 MPs would have joined their team. With Mr. Annamalai at the helm and in just 10 months their vote share in the State is more than 11%. But their obstinate refusal to play second fiddle demonstrates their short-sightedness. In the eyes of many Tamilians, the BJP remains a Hindi heartland party. They don’t have local leaders who are either well-known or well-respected to take on the DMK. A return to the healthy coalition strategy with established regional parties is the only sensible solution. Plus, the BJP national leadership seems oblivious to the fact that genuine respect and appreciation of India’s regional languages and cultures, traditions and customs is the only way to win hearts and minds across the country. For instance, if Tamil and Bengali… (Major Scheduled Languages) are taught as optional subjects in 5 years of middle school in Central and Government schools in North India it will be a game-changer and strengthen and consolidate the Union structure of India.

Mr Suresh Gopi, the National Award-winning Malayalam film actor, won BJP’s first-ever Lok Sabha seat from Thrissur- Kerala. My Malayali friends tell me that thousands of non-BJP supporters voted for him because of his humanitarian work over the years. Likewise, Dr. Manjunath, a respected cardiologist, defeated a Congress heavyweight for the Bengaluru Rural seat simply because of his reputation as a caring, soft-spoken professional. Request all political parties to throw away the oft-used Congress playbook of Money, Muscle, Caste, Creed and Political lineage whilst selecting their candidates. The BJP should also conduct an L&D workshop on Soft Skills and Communications for their Parliamentarians and Legislators. Movie Star Kangana Ranaut is going to cause unnecessary controversy with her immature remarks. The BJP candidate from Ayodhya lost simply because of reckless fear-mongering. Yes. Millions of faithful will queue up for the Divine Darshan at the Shri Ram Temple- from India and the rest of the world. But on a day-to-day basis, the average Indian citizen hopes for a glimpse of the true Ram Rajya.

After 10 years we will have a legitimate Leader of the Opposition in Mr. Rahul Gandhi. It’s also a situation of not who won (Modi 3.0 is in place) but who made the most gains. The Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK and TMC are the big winners with Akhilesh Yadav’s party stealing the show. We all know that the new Lok Sabha bills like the Uniform Civil Code and One India and One Election will be put in a deep freeze. However, it will be interesting to see how the MPs react to a critical bill on Police Reforms which has been gathering dust despite a Supreme Court directive in 2006. Most politicians, across party lines, want the police to keep doing their bidding. Good Economics is the Best Politics. Hopefully, India’s economic growth story will continue unhindered. Not only by becoming the 3rd largest economy in the world but by getting our per-capita income to jump into the top 30 in the next 10-15 years. The Government and Opposition should also work together to ensure that India’s geo-political ascendancy remains resolute and on track, with no compromises on national interests or national security.

National Security. Mr Rahul Gandhi will become the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. But I am very relieved that he is not the Prime Minister of the country. He will likely become a puppet in China’s hands; he will also play along with the Pakistani establishment. Few will remember that in August 2008 the INC and the Communist Party of China (CCP) signed an MOU that the 2 parties would consult each other on bilateral, regional and international matters. Really.!! Another Himalayan Blunder waiting to happen. Is this the reason why the INC (not just the Comrades) does not say a word about the cruel persecution of Uyghur Muslims and the demolition of thousands of mosques in Xinjiang province of China? Please also recall Mr. Gandhi repeatedly speaking about the Chinese Army taking over 2000 sq km of Indian land, categorically denied by India’s Generals. Foreign intelligence agencies rebutted the same and spoke about clashes where the Indian Army gave the PLA a bloody nose. Remember Mr Digvijay Singh, a senior Congress Leader, releasing a book ‘26/11 an RSS Conspiracy’ with Dr Zakir Naik just 2 years after the Mumbai terror attack orchestrated by Pakistan, which had been validated by international intelligence agencies and from Pakistan itself. Just imagine if Kasab had not been caught alive.?! Or take the case of the Khalistanis in Canada celebrating the assassination of the late PM
Mrs. Indira Gandhi. No outrage from the daughter-in-law or the grandson of one of India’s most formidable political leaders. They are happy with the Canadian PM taking potshots at the Indian PM. It’s up to the Modi government to assert before the Trudeau government that such hate speeches and demonstrations cannot be passed off as’ freedom of expression.’

Another intriguing aspect of the 2024 General Election is the global dimensions it took on. China’s State media, which soft-pedals elections elsewhere for obvious reasons, waded into Indian democracy. China Daily- ‘Stunning Blow to Modi’s Image.’ Global Times- ‘Economic Reforms will slow down.’ The West also jumped onto the bandwagon with the German broadcaster DW- ‘A victory that feels like a defeat.’ Bloomberg- ‘Modi just learnt that hype can carry you so far.’ The NYT headline in the run-up to the election- ‘Modi’s Temple of Lies’ in an insidious reference to the Ayodhya Mandir. Such rantings with vitriolic Op-eds penned by Indian intellectuals and media people (you know their names) have been the norm for many years. During a talk at Cambridge, Mr Rahul Gandhi waved a newspaper whilst talking to the students. The same-day headline in The Guardian read- ‘India’s Democracy in Danger.’ Please connect the dots. Some readers may not know that Hinduism is not recognized as a religion in 24 out of 26 EU countries. Little wonder that some Ivy League college publications have dismissed this Ancient Faith with 1.2 billion followers as ‘pagans’ and ‘uncivilized.’ The fact that in the last decade, India has shed its mongrel attitude and started giving it back to the White Man is not going down well with them. Guess why Harvard has nothing to say about the brutal repression of a million Uyghur Muslims in China. The esteemed University has received $ 1 billion from China over 10 years mainly as gifts.

India’s rise as an independent global geo-political power has rocked the boat- like buying cheaper oil from Russia and Iran. How can India even think about it!! Shifting from being a major importer of military hardware to a growing exporter of arms and ammunition has rattled the military-industrial complex in Washington and other capitals. So, we have Christiane Amanpour on CNN talking about the Indian Prime Minister in the same breath as the Chinese and Russian dictators. Both of whom have anointed themselves as lifetime rulers. As for the Leader of the Free World, a convicted felon may well be the next President. The UK has seen 4 PMs in the last 8 years and is now shipping out undesirable immigrants to Rwanda and beyond.

The George Soros-affiliated Omidyar network (which has just exited India) with close links to the INC has funded money for propaganda, fake news and fear-mongering. Billionaire Soros who had publicly declared war on PM Modi at Davos many years back is known to have backed regime change in some nations. Chinese money has also poured in to boost well-known media outlets and YouTube influencers to spew a particular narrative.

The churning in Indian politics is all for the good. The strong comeback of the Congress and its Allies is welcome. With the caveat that if the Congress-led front comes to power at the Centre we will see a more competent and dependable Messrs Sachin Pilot or Shashi Tharoor or Mallikarjun Kharge as the Prime Minister. Beating the 2X anti-incumbency factor and with 292 seats in the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA has to settle into its 3rd term. It will have to work and focus on The Greater Good. ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ (Everyone’s support, everyone’s development, everyone’s trust) cannot be an empty slogan but an inspiration for good inclusive policies and efficient governance and administration.  However, as of now Modi 3.0 has prevailed not only over a rejuvenated Opposition but over myriad forces and powers from across the world.

Why Have We Set the Bar So Low for Our Politicians?

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Indian Parliament

India is hailed as the world’s largest democracy. The sheer scale and logistics of our elections have been celebrated in Discovery channel documentaries. Yet 70+ years after independence we have not evolved into a mature, functioning democracy. Indeed, in many, many ways we have lost our way. Hordes of politicians- precious few leaders and statesmen.  Political dynasties sprouting all over, endemic corruption, gross incompetence. Turncoats and floor crossers; Subsidies, freebies, quotas and reservations; vote banks and appeasement and divide and rule. Always in election mode with little time for good governance.  Hollowing out our nation.  Cheered on by a largely discredited Fourth Estate.  Navigated by a mostly pliant babudom of bureaucracy ( with some honorable exceptions).

Why do we give our Netas a free pass again and again? Why do we tolerate their BS? Why do we not hold them accountable as public representatives for their conduct and performance? Look at any other walk of life. A rash bus driver will be suspended- the passengers will ensure that he is not in the driving seat any longer. A construction worker will lose his /her livelihood if not reporting in time for the grind every day. An errant school teacher will be hounded and reported by irate parents. An underperformer at a corporate will likely get the pink slip. A soldier/officer who has breached military discipline will be court-martialled.

We, as a people, are largely to blame- beyond our apathy and indifference. We have this mongrel attitude of putting ourselves down. Plus the colonial/feudal hangover. The people in authority cannot be questioned. So we willingly play into their hands. Region, community, caste or creed. Or a once in a 5 year spread of booze and mutton. We have been manipulated to such an extent that even educated people gloat when their preferred venal leader has outsmarted the tainted leader from the other side. Grandmaster, Chanakya are the accolades. We have become accomplices in a very corrupt system.

It is laughable that the only criteria we have to monitor the performance of our elected representatives is the attendance sheet at the Assembly/House or the number of questions asked or debates participated in. The average attendance in the Lok Sabha is below 80% and the other parameter does not bear scrutiny. Even raising the hand and making a few inane observations count as participation. In no other self- respecting institution or organisation will such a person be invited again to join a meeting or a quorum.

Take the mismanagement of the second Covid surge. Yes, India has a huge population and some resource issues. Nobody knew the second wave would be so virulent. The fact is that the recurrence of the pandemic was entirely predictable after the outbreak in UK & Europe last December. The Central Government was lulled into a false sense of complacency after an effective handling of the first phase. Even the Sangh Chief has admitted as much. The dropping of guard happens when the powers that be are surrounded by Yes Men. No professional and non-political Task Force to tell it as it is. The tone deaf denial mode of the Union Government was highlighted by the prolonged elections in West Bengal, the rallies all over and the hosting of the Kumbh (thankfully, called off after a week.)  Super-spreader events. Any responsible government (including State Governments) would have focused on expanding the number of hospital beds, stocking Remdesvir and other drugs, ramping up of vaccination and planning the evacuation of migrants, if required. The oxygen and ventilator crises could have been averted through stocking up and imports. Supplies from industrial oxygen producers could easily have been diverted for public health use as was done much later in the day. How have Sikh Gurudwaras achieved the miracle of running both oxygen and food langars so effectively? The NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) and critical units of the Armed Forces could have been put on alert. Again in an established Company, heads would have rolled in the Boardroom. But our expectations from our political leadership is woefully low. Even as the human tragedy unfolds every day, the politicians and their media partners delight in taking pot-shots at their opponents.

And it is not that India does not know how to deal with catastrophes. When a cyclone is imminent and the landfall declared the NDMA swings into action. Evacuation exercises, shelters, food & provisions, medical help, rescue ops – all are conducted humanely and efficiently. With the collaboration of the State Administration, NGO’s and philanthropic trusts. The way Orissa cyclones have been dealt with in recent times should be a matter of pride for us. Far better relief and response than the Americans have experienced when hurricanes have battered their regions.

Good Economics is the best politics. But this seems to be lost on our timid and status-quoist Ministers. Our Hon FM brushed off the issue of fuel price as a ‘Dharamsankat’ (a very difficult decision to make) – a matter to be resolved between Centre and States. So why not do it? Fuel prices are nearly hitting Rs 100/- per litre with nearly 2/3rds going to Central and State Treasuries. Diesel & Petrol prices also fuel the inflationary trend. A reasonable reduction in taxes will help on the ground. If the hike in taxes is to cover-up revenue shortfalls during the pandemic or to create a Crises fund- be transparent about it with the public. Continuing with Covid 19, the NDA administration has not talked about measures to rejuvenate the economy once more normal times are around the corner.. No relief or rebates for the hard-hit industries, sectors or even retail commerce and trade. In India after agriculture the employment generation sectors are Construction, Trade, Transport & Storage, Education, Hotels & Restaurants’ and the retail markets. The economy has to be jump started into resurgence. In the second term of the BJP led government there has been only some noise about disinvestment and privatisation. Again, nobody is seeing the whole picture. For instance, the Japanese and the UAE are willing to invest billions$ into even home and apartment constructions if the law of the lands satisfy them and RERA ( Real Estate Regulatory Authority) is made effective and mandatory at State levels. Homes and flats will be cheaper for the average citizen. But there is a close nexus between politicians, real estate and the mafia. FINITO!!! The other reason for the lack of direction is the curious reluctance to seek expert advice from those who do not subscribe to the party’s political philosophy. For instance Gita Gopinath, Chief Economic Advisor to the International Monetary Fund can be roped in for structural and sector reforms; Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee should be the go to person for new ways to alleviate poverty.

On the political turf, we still seem to be stuck in the 70’s-90’s period when the Congress called the shots. Vote bank politics, reservations, engineering defections and horse-trading, imposing President’s rule and unleashing Central Investigative agencies on opponents; the winning formula of caste, creed, money and muscle; getting TV channels and media on board. The BJP and the regional parties have fully espoused the Congress playbook. The GOP may be in decline but their machinations endure. Verily, we may be caught up in ‘ the devil and the deep sea’ syndrome.

The only glaring difference is that the power game has become much polarised. With the deaths of Shri Arun Jaitely, Madam Sushma Swaraj and Shri Manohar Parrikar the BJP has lost the senior leaders who could reach across the aisle and have a dialogue with the other side. The ruling party has to realise that it governs the country and not just those who voted for it. The ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ slogan has to have a genuine ring about it.

Political and personal attacks have reached the nadir- across the political spectrum. Such language will not be tolerated in any other space. Our ministers & parliamentarians simply shrug it off and say that they have been misquoted or even dig in their heels. The regressive comments made about women, dress-sense or food habits do not fit in with India 2021. These motor-mouths are not even rapped on the knuckles let alone fired, suspended or disqualified.

The mishandling of part 2 of the pandemic has brought the Hon PM Modiji’s government to its lowest point since 2014. Of course, the opposition and their cheer leaders are gloating. But it is also a loud wake- up call which they can ignore only at their peril. If they don’t see the real picture, the road leads downhill. It will be a hat-trick of misses since the majority governments of Mrs Gandhi in 1972 and Mr Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. The power to achieve a Greater Good will be wasted again.

The NDA Government does have some bold decisions to its credit. Can it harness the same resolve and its majority strength in both houses to push through some vital reforms?  The expose of the rotten politician-police nexus in Mumbai underscores the imperative need for Police Reforms. Till now, all parties have ‘Copped Out’. What better than to have the Cops serve their venal interests and boost their power.  A Supreme Court Judgement of 2006 attempted to move the needle a bit. The Soli Sorabjee Commission (2015) made 7 recommendations to kick-start reform. Constituting a State Service Commission to set broad policy guidelines, ensure functional space for the police and to evaluate their performance. At least a 2 year tenure for DGP’s, SP’s, Station Heads. To separate the Investigative and Law & Order functions of the force. Set up a Police Est. Board to independently decide on the transfers, postings and promotions at least up to the DSP level with recommendatory authority above that.  Likewise a Police Complaint Authority to which the general public can have easy access to. At the Central level a National Security Commission would take up the responsibilities.

The working conditions also shout out for change. India has only 198 policemen for every lakh of population. Even the most conservative bench-mark is 275. Constables work 14-16 hour days with no over-time. Service and housing conditions are pathetic. There is little dignity in wearing the uniform at their level.  There is no career path to speak off. Operational budgets are so tight that petrol/diesel is often filled in police jeeps by some ‘business cronies’ or by heavy-handed tactics.  Even today in some States the force works at only 75% of the sanctioned strength.

A lot of lip-service has been paid to the cause of 1/3rd reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The UPA Government had tried to introduce the bill but threats of withdrawal of support from the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal made it a non-starter. In Jan 2019 women representatives from across parties in the Rajya Sabha appealed to PM Modiji to get the Bill passed with his majority force. The sooner this becomes a Law the better. Yes, some of the women candidates will be proxies for their political families. Some MP’s may turn out to be incompetent for the job at hand. But greater women representation will usher in more decorum and dignity in these Chambers and going forward more diligence and responsibility.

In 1970 the Wanchoo Committee report raised alarms as to how black money had permeated our politics. The Vohra Committee Report of 1993 was titled ‘ The Criminalisation Of Indian Politics.’ It is said to have even spelt out the politico-bureaucrat links with the D Company. It is not surprising that only 11 pages of the report were tabled in Aug 1995 in the Lok Sabha. The more than 100 page report was buried. Clearly, there is Honour Amongst Thieves. Politicians across the gamut know how to take care of each other, especially the Big Fish.

The Aam Aadmi Party was born out of an Anti-Corruption crusade. But in the Delhi Assembly elections of 2020, nearly half of their candidates had criminal cases against them. 116 BJP MP’s (39%) in the Lok Sabha have criminal charges on their records and with Congress sharing space with 29 tainted MP’s. In the recently conducted polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal 71%,60% and 49% of the winning coalitions boast of criminal charges and quite a few of a serious nature. ( As per media sources and electoral news reports gleaned on the internet). So whether it is the disciplined cadres of the BJP or the holier than thou Comrades, criminality is a common theme. It is the winnability factor which has sullied our electoral process. Adding Money and Muscle to the earlier caste and creed to intimidate, buy, and steal elections.

The response from the Hon Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been disappointing. A declaration is all that is needed, courtesy the political parties. They have to detail the criminal history of their candidates on their official web-site and justify why they have given them a seat. That’s It.!!!

The lust to get power and retain it takes all our political outfits over the red line-into gross criminality. We are told that we have some really tall leaders, even cult figures gracing our political landscape. With millions of die-hard followers. Why do these dominant personalities not use their charisma to enlist competent, sensible people as their candidates and ensure that the right people are voted in?  Why lug on the same old dirty bag of dirty tricks??

Black money is the other insidious influence on our democracy. The undisclosed wealth in India has been officially estimated at 15% of the GDP. That we are a cash economy helps. A rational mixture of reduced income and consumption tax will spread the tax net considerably. Per other researchers our parallel economy is closer to 25% of the GDP. Indian money parked in Swiss and other off-shore banks is said to be in the range of $1.5 to $ 2 trillion. Now our super-rich are actively looking at buying Residency and Citizenship in St Lucia, St Kitts, Antigua, Malta and Cyprus. Of course, the UK remains the haven for our fugitive financial criminals and the extradition of Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya will be an achievement, if and when it happens.

Although tricky to monitor, poll funding should constantly be under the scanner. It represents another bane of our electoral process and tells why the quality of the representatives is so low. In France, business is barred from political donations to avoid the mess of special interests or in Indian lingo, ‘crony capitalism’.  Individual contributions are limited to 7500 euros per year and if exceeding 1520 euros have to be made by cheque. Regular payments by the registered party members make up around 35% of their funds. In the Presidential elections the State reimburses 20% of the campaign expenses of all parties. This % age goes up with %age of votes and seats won. If India has to shake off the murky sources of election monies, the ECI+ SC+ lawmakers will have to roll out a viable model. The ECI observation that the average election spending per candidate is around Rs 40 lacs cannot be taken seriously.

The last of this wish-list pertains to re-structuring of our creaking judicial system. Inefficient and overwhelmed. Out of the 4 crore cases pending, the District and Subordinate Courts are submerged by 75% of them. Litigation by the Government Departments is high accounting for almost 50% of the cases and many Dept. vs Dept. Our country has only 21000 judges where there should at least be 40,000. The Indian Judicial Service does not attract the best talent and the competence of the judges in the lower courts is not up to the mark. At the HC and SC levels there is a ? on the transparency of the process of appointment of the Judges. The bottom-line is that neither the Centre nor the State is interested in increasing the spending on this vital pillar in our democracy. Budgetary allocation varies from a pathetic 0.17% to 0.40% of the budgets. Faith in our judiciary is at its lowest. We acutely need more Fast Track Courts and Tribunals, Lok Adalats and Gram Nyayalayas. It has also not sunk in that this dubious track-record adversely impacts the flow of foreign direct investment in India.

This lethargic machinery caters to the under-trials- a whopping 70% of the approx. 4.75 lakh prison population in India. The Prison Report in 2019 has said that 65% of them have already spent more than a year as inmates for petty and minor crimes. The poor and the illiterate can’t afford bail. Why a sweeping decision cannot be taken by the Law Ministry with the guidance of the Hon. Supreme Court to release those who have completed 85% or more of their maximum expected term of imprisonment. Let’s take a leaf from the recent Supreme Court order to release 568 prisoners held in Kerala jails on parole and another 350 on bail. The objective-immediate release of the prisoners to avoid overcrowding of jails in the wake of the unprecedented spread of the pandemic.

Indian democracy and its institutions require urgent overhaul. Request the Hon PM Modi’s Government to use their majority to push through these reforms. There will be a lot of resistance from within and without. No matter. They have another 3 years to go and what better and enduring legacy to leave behind or take forward.

Na Mo 2.0

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narendra-modi-2112081_960_720

Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi is back with an absolute majority, and as we all know with great power comes great responsibility.

Here is my wish-list for our all powerful Prime Minister.

1. Introduce the long-pending structural reforms. The 33% Women Representation bill for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by making it mandatory for every political party to give 33% tickets to women candidates. Yes, for starters, they will mostly be proxies from political families. But a good number of them will win on merit and competence. Plus women tend to take responsibilities more seriously. Enough to be a game-changer.

Bring in the much needed police reforms to free them from the clutches of the unscrupulous politicians. Our under-staffed  police force is still guided by the Police Act of 1861. Let them as a professional force report to a professional,independent  governing body or Security Commission. Let transfers, promotions, emoluments, over-time, perks, recruitment, training, facilities, housing be all administered by this institution. Which functionally reports to the Home Ministry.

Black money and cash for votes play a big role in our elections. Our politics continues to be dominated by the much-vaunted winnability formula of money, muscle, caste and creed. This also ensures that we are cursed with incompetent and venal leaders and representatives. The same dynastic and musical chair games continues every five years. A political funding bill needs to be passed and is overdue. It does not suit our political parties including the BJP. It is imperative for the concerned citizen to know the source of funds. Who contributed and how much. Limits can be put for legal funding by individuals, trusts and corporates. It is going to be a rocky road but any major change will encounter that. This will also level the field for more decent and capable people who want to play an active role in our public life.

Vote in the Criminality law. People with criminal track records or facing serious charges should be banned from contesting elections. India deserves better leaders. Mr Modi can take the lead by ensuring that his party will give tickets to good people only in the coming Assembly polls. Consign the undemocratic winnability formula and dynastic politics to the dust-bin.

2. Good Economics is the best politics. The overwhelming majority of Indians only seek a better life for themselves and especially their children. ‘The Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” slogan will be really put to the test in this second term. Expectations are sky-high. If the right laws, progammes and initiatives are not put into place within the next 12 months the Modi aura will be greatly diminished. Whether it is addressing the farmer distress or the MSP issue; water conservation; power generation;generating employment for millions; putting infrastructure on the fast-track; rationalising the GST and income-tax slabs; the opportunity for off-shoring in the wake if the US-China trade war- all will require vision, commitment and a political will to really deliver on the ground. People are tired of slogans and empty promises. They ache for really good governance.

3. The need of the hour is a few good statesmen. Can the tallest political leader evolve into one in his second innings? Can he break-out from the Sangh Parivar mould and become the talisman for our great, diverse and pluralistic land? Can he avoid the trap of surrounding himself with Yes men and courtiers? Can he bring in some intelligent, committed professionals like Deepak Parikh, Arif Mohammed Khan and Nandan Nilekini to consult and advise on critical policy decisions? All for the greater good.

Will Mr Modi stand up and fight for the independence of institutions like the Supreme Court, the RBI, the CBI and the Armed Forces?

Where does ‘ the Sabka Vishwas’ kick in? The PM has to have his ear to the ground. The situation and sentiments on the ground. The fears and insecurities of a sizable section of our fellow countrymen. Will the PM have to gumption to really shut-up the motor-mouths in his party? Will he drop a minister or suspend an MP or MLA for inflammatory or divisive comments? Will he facilitate more moderation and maturity in our political discourse through personal example? Set high standards for conduct in polity and public life. The PM recently commented that the minorities have been exploited as a vote bank for too long. Does he really have a plan to reach out to the minorities to address their genuine concerns and win their Vishwas? There are developing fault-lines in our society where Modiji has to apply the balm. And the message has to go down the line to the karyakartas.

Before his address in the Parliament Hall, he again bowed to the Constitution as his sacred book. Will we citizens see this idea of India put into practice consistently? Most Indians are put off by a divisive rhetoric. All we want is a better quality of life.

The Prime Minister should have realised by now that people have voted for him in humungous numbers. In many ways the 2019 elections have been like a Presidential election and the BJP has just ridden the Modi wave. Many voters did not know who the local BJP or even NDA candidate was. All the talk was about Modi. So it is time that he occasionally steps out to take questions from voices critical to him. At a Town Hall, a University campus or even an interview at a hostile TV channel. This is the sure way of connecting with those sections of the populace where his name strikes a negative chord. Remember the words-‘ Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. Indians are an emotional people and oftentime perception is more potent than fact. The last component of the slogan can be the enabler for the challenging journey ahead.

India has missed huge opportunites in the past to accelerate economic growth with Indira Gandhi in 1972 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. Both enjoyed huge mandates but could not put their popular authority to effective use in the best interests of the country. Na Mo 2.0 is another huge moment for the nation. The hopes and aspirations of a billion plus people and esp. the younger generation rests on the Hon PM and his handpicked team.

Will they deliver?