Prime Minister Modi has completed nearly eight months at office. I find some critical evaluation of him only in the national newspapers.
So far as general public is concerned, I find people or either on this side of line or on the other side of line. I find either they are his fierce supporter or they are Modi haters. Last month I was travelling to Lucknow from Kolkata. I had a few defence personnel as my fellow travellers.They were from Army, Air Force and Defence Production. They all were upbeat about the Prime Minister. The Army Man told me regarding border skirmishes that Army has been given free hand to make a reply to Pakistan while during UPA rule response always used to be restrained. Army was also being reequipped with best weapons and equipments. He was also hopeful of better salary and allowances. Similar views were expressed by the Air Force Personnel . The HAL personnel was expecting that the Govt. would start new productions, procure new advanced technology with foreign collaboration and it would usher in a new era in the field of Defence Production. At Lucknow, I met Shri Kunj Bihari, a chai wala who told me that he was a Modi supporter as Modi came from a humble background and intended to do something good for the poor.
In the Offices I've found people supporting Modi's moves but I find some people in the Govt. Offices now feeling the pinch due to biometric cumpolsary attendance . Late comers are at the recieving end.
Some of my leftist friends are ardent critics of Modi. In their view Modi has been dismantling the welfare apparatus of the nation.He is patronising communal elements as he keeps mum on their actions and venomous utterances. First of all I fail to understand why my leftist friends expect Modi to fit into leftist shoes. That is not expected of him. I can't remember name of any worthwhile Gujarati Socialist or Communist. Gujaratis ,by tradition , believe in bringing prosperity through enterprise and same is true of Modi also. I find the second point made by them valid. Silence may be seen as a tacit approval if it is not due to any sort of compulsion. Modi must speak against Hindu Brigade paratroopers.
For sometimes I've been feeling that now Modi is at crossroads where he has to take a decision which way he has to go. Things can no longer be kept pending or pushed under the carpet.
(ABOVE PARAGRAPHS WERE WRITTEN ONE MONTH AGO)
(TODAY AFTER ONE MONTH))-
After Delhi election results suddenly the aura of invincibility around PM seems to have gone.People are speaking like- 'I said so'. Smile has returned on the faces of Modi opponents who now think that the PM is vulnerable (leaving aside the Congress which is unable to capitalize due to its own weaknesses). His socalled Rs.9-10 lacs suit is being criticized although his dress sense has been appreciated when he had visited U S A.
As I said earlier , the PM is at crossroads and now he has to make decisive moves as time is running fast. As the world renowned economist Professor Jagadish Bhagawati says Modi has grown out of the RSS shadow but he ought to speak against the Hindu hardliners as they may undermine his economic agenda.
Professor Bhagawati says the PM sees growth as a way to accumulate resources, give people gainful employment by spending that money. Whatever adds to growth and prosperity, lifting poor out of the poverty is part of his vision. Modi is different from Reagan or Thatcher in that he is using growth to pull people up. And it requires a lot of action.Modi believes that the benefit of growth must reach the poor.But here the point is that the poor has also to feel that he has benefited.And in this direction Modi has to act fast.
PM has made PMO centre of his action plan but he believes in decentralizing power and action to the states. He has taken right action in this direction by shaping up the NITI AYOG. But NITI AYOG has just started working and its direction as well as action plan should be defined at earliest.
PM has somewhat shaken up bureaucracy and files are moving but it has not to be limited to Central Secretariat only. Bureaucracy as a whole, all over the country has to be shaken up further and be told that old lethargy of moving at a snails pace would not do.
PM should try to develop a sort of collective leadership in the Govt. as well as party and delegate his authority. It will leave him free for better direction,coordination and decision making. For example, since the new Govt. has come into power,despite of a foreign minister being there, PM seems to be working like a foreign Minister. Regarding foreign affairs Foreign Minister should be in limelight and not the PM.
The most important of all the tasks for the PM is to develop a working relationship with the opposition so that he may not have to resort to ordinances for each and everything and it may be tough but not impossible. If the bonhomie that has been visible in his meeting with Kejriwal continues, it may act as an example for others.
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें