India's development story and the PM's contribution

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

'Chain ki zindagi jio, roti khao warna meri goli to hai hi (Live peacefully, eat your bread or I am ready with bullets).'
These words uttered by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in a live broadcast from the border district of Bhuj went viral throughout the country and the globe. His detractors may insist that the discourse resembled Hindi film dialogues, but messages like these fill a large section of Indians with pride.
Was it a coincidence that it was the day PM Modi completed 11 years in office in Delhi? He will complete the first year of his third term next week. Last June 9, when he assumed office, his opponents were gloating. They felt a golden opportunity was just around the corner to snatch the crutches the NDA allies provided to the BJP that was short of a simple majority in the Lok Sabha. A year later, that idea seems hollow and distant. Consider the Waqf bill.
Despite reluctance from the NDA allies, the Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, the BJP neither backed down nor toned down its aggressive stance. Modi has crafted his communication and administrative style assiduously and with great patience.
If you have any doubts, please look at his years in power since 2001 to date. He has kept using a language that establishes him as a straight-shooting and strong leader among his voters. Traditionalists may frown on his style, but in a democracy, voters decide what's acceptable or not. What can be a bigger stamp of approval than that Modi hasn't lost a single election to date?
But don't be under any illusion that Modi succeeds merely through self-projection. As a PM, he has made some landmark moves. He has convinced the citizens that he is committed to their welfare round the clock by initiating the world's largest food distribution scheme, a phenomenally expanded road and railway network, the indigenisation of armament production, Gati Shakti, Ayushman schemes and many others. He has given special attention to women and the deprived sections of society. Naming a military action as Operation Sindoor was perfect messaging, conveying the task and its import while touching women's hearts. This is the first time that we have an established security policy, and on the domestic front, Maoism is being dealt a final body blow.
As far as the security on our border and integrity of our nation is concerned, Modi is the first PM who has shown remarkable alacrity in expanding the road and railway network near the sensitive Sino-Indian border. I would like to mention a headline that appeared last week. Mizoram's capital, Aizawl, is now connected by rail. Till now, four out of seven state capitals in the Northeast are connected with the railways. In Uttarakhand, work to extend the railway line to Badrinath is moving at a fast pace. Some of these plans were conceived by the earlier governments. But the present government showed a willingness and urgency to complete them. It's a unique blend of holistic development and security.
Modi has his own theory to cut slack in governance.
While working as an RSS pracharak and later as a BJP functionary, he always felt there was a serious lack of coordination between the organisation, government, and the bureaucracy. During the Bhuj earthquake in 2001 on January 26, there was widespread destruction and chaos. Realising that things were getting out of hand, PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the home minister, LK Advani, made Modi the state chief minister as he was a veteran of the state party unit and had vast experience working in the state.
Till then, Modi wasn't even a legislator and had no experience in governance. Yet his priorities and focus were clear. He devoted his entire energies to rebuilding and rehabilitation of the devastated areas. Resources were summoned, the distracted and dissipated energies of the state bureaucracy were channelled, and the victims of the tragedy were taken on board.
If you visit Dholavira, 136 kilometres from the district headquarters of Bhuj, you will find tarred roads amidst white sands of the desert, tanks for water supply, schools, and electricity poles. Even in the remote desert areas of Kutch, soldiers are provided with tap water, which was once considered impossible.
Modi brought the same work culture to the seat of the Union government in Delhi. Before him, the regional leaders would try to mould themselves to the standards of urbanity and etiquette set by the British-influenced Lutyens Delhi elite. Modi was a stark contrast, presenting himself as a symbol of Indianness and has been steadfast in his approach. We can debate that Vajpayee and Deve Gowda too maintained an Indian exterior. However, they failed to project the requisite energy. Modi's style connects with Indians and creates a unique persona internationally.
Here, a question arises: Did former PMs do any good? Sure, many major landmark actions have been achieved, but never have so many people been enamoured of a leader for so long. Modi knows it is necessary to show a report card to the citizens periodically to maintain their morale. The Mann ki Baat outreach programme on the radio was one such experiment that maintained his constant connect with the masses.
However, there are many promises and initiatives that come under heavy criticism. He's accused of many other things, too, but in a democracy, there's no harm if development and debate coexist. Recently, news appeared that India became the fourth largest economy in the world, leaving behind Japan; now it has to go past Germany to become the third largest economy. Some experts think that it would take some more time before we go past Japan's economy, but does this nit-picking matter? The fact is, as the last week's Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report indicates, we remain one of the fastest growing large economies in the world.
It's clear that India's development story is on course despite many challenges, and we can't deny Modi's role in it.
Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal
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