Today, May 18, 2014 will finally go down in history as the day when British finally left India”
-The Guardian, London, May 18, 2014
The 2014 General Election was indeed a watershed moment in the history of Democratic Governance in India. Before that, one complete decade was marked with scandals and corruption, making it almost the second name of Congress rule. People were on the verge of frustration. The predominantly popular feeling was that the competitive multi-party democracy might not succeed in making commoners’ lives any easier. People’s quest for a change was so intense that Narendra Modi, till then Gujarat Chief Minister with a proven track record, could emerge as an effective alternative and eventually win the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections hands-down.<
This May 26, PM Modi completed nine years as Prime Minister. Naturally.it is educative to understand what value PM Modi has been able to bring to the table. There are at least five important factors that make PM Modi stand apart. They are his philosophy, leadership, governance, path-breaking decisions and style of functioning and finally, the most notable centrality of Indian culture in his scheme of things. Starting from his philosophy.one can’t forget that he had begun his 2014 campaign with two simple mantras. Firstly. he openly announced Good Governance and Development as the goals to achieve. And how does one achieve them? As if in response to this question, he talked about the policy of Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas/His efforts to build further upon these cardinal mantras were also remarkable. Come 2019. and he added Sab Ka Vishwas and recently suffixed the same with Sab Ka Prayas. In between, he has also repeatedly referred to Ek Bharat, Sreshtha Bharat, as if it is the final destination of our collective journey. PM Modi is truly a thinking politician. In most of his addresses, he gives you enough food for thought. Last Independence Day, he once again appealed to fellow citizens to take five solemn vows and make five commitments, naming them Panch-Pran. Crafted insightfully, these Panch-Pran are so fundamental that none can disagree with them or question their relevance. The first bow is to aim to become a developed country while shedding complacency of being happy with the tag of a developing country. Then comes the total rejection of everything that has come to us as a colonial legacy. The third vow is about taking pride in our roots, while the fourth is about protecting and strengthening our unity. And lastly, discharging our duties as citizens of this great country, with all sincerity at our command. It is hard to remember any of the previous Prime Ministers who might have given a set of messages, so very eternally relevant, so simple to understand and with such a great practical value Remember, none of his staunch opponents could ever find fault with the basics of his philosophy, outlined by him on various occasions.
PM Modi’s style of functioning marks establishing a direct rapport with the masses. A patient listener and minute observer, he also comes across as a great communicator
Over the years PM Modi has emerged truly as Karta of this big national family His is a textbook example of the most practical leadership science. One may not agree with all his decisions But unlike one of his predecessors, he never said. Not to take the call is abo a call. Demonetisation Introduction of the GST New Education Policy, creation of the position of Chief of Defence Staff Balakot alt strike abrogation of Article 370 and finally, unabashedly joining the foundation laying ceremony for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya are some of the remarkable decisions to his credit. Leading from the front, he is the first PM celebrate Diwall of every year with our Jawans at the borders. His decisive leadership makes Modi Hain to Mumkin Hasound entirely credible.
On governance front, too, PM Modi outshines almost all his predecessors. Right from the beginning, he has been inculcating a robust sense of purpose in the entire governance apparatuses. His emphasis on out-of-the-box thinking has been evident through the brilliant idea of PRAGATI meetings to keep a tab on mega infra projects as also through JAM trinity and, finally PM-Gati Shakti scheme. A master of the art of implementation, he has ensured evidence-based disbursal of benefits of all welfare schemes ensuring flawless implementation adhering to the highest standards of transparency and accountability. With every modern technology adroitly employed in the implementation of infrastructure, complaints about corruption, nepotism and favouritism have almost become a thing of the past. Rejecting the impact of the socialist hangover, PM Modi has always emphasised public-private partnership and also recognised the need to rope in talents outside the Government services into the govt via lateral entry.
Governance has always remained a forte of PM Modi’s politics. The ability to take firm and timely decisions is central to the idea of good governance, and PM Modi knows this best. His reformative decisions like banning triple talaq, providing EBC quota, the ambitious Central Vista Project with new Parliament building as its centrepiece, converting Nehru Memorial Museum into a PM Sangrahalay and creation of a new Ayush Ministry are some of the historic decisions of PM Modi that would have a long-lasting impact on contemporary as well future India. Even on strategic and diplomatic fronts, PM Modi’s policies have shown a remarkably self-confidence-driven approach where Indian leadership is seen as not mincing words. Thanks to PM Modi, not only the demand for democratisation of the UN system has gained momentum, but even on climate change-related issues, the developing countries have started raising their voice.
PM Modi’s style of functioning marks establishing a direct rapport with the masses. A patient listener and minute observer, he also comes across as a great communicator. With his trust quotient remarkably high, all our countrymen, whether rich or poor, men or women, farmers or professionals, Hindi-speaking citizens or others, students or teachers, all have unshakable faith in PM Modi. Also, innovative approaches, out-of-the-box and creative thinking, as well as the emphasis on crowd-sourcing have remained the hallmarks of PM Modi’s style of functioning. From the Statue of Unity, an example of his ability to think big, to his practice of celebrating every Diwali with jawans on the borders, PM Modi is known for always looking at even routine things afresh.
However, what is perhaps the most remarkable is his attempt to restore the centrality of culture in governance. Realising that if one removes culture from the idea of Bharat; precious little remains. It was during the last nine years that India has been able to bring back hundreds of our historical artefacts, stolen, looted or purchased illegally by some; abroad. Being rightly unapologetic about our cultural identity, he has unhesitatingly presented a copy of the Srimad Bhagwad Gita to many international dignitaries. It was during his tenure that the country witnessed Ramayan Festivals with the participation of dozens of countries, being organised every year. His visit to Lumbini in Nepal, the Dhaneshwari temple in Dhaka, and similar such places of religious importance have added to the self-confidence of Indians in those countries. After the renovation of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, now a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya is just a few months away.
Last but not least, PM Modi has empowered fellow citizens to aspire, to see dreams and most importantly, to think big! He has inculcated a Can-Do spirit. Making India a developed country is an example of the Prime Minister’s ability to cultivate the habit of thinking big among all the countrymen. The Panch-Pran outlined by PM Modi is one of his bold attempts to awaken a society, setting a common goal for them and inspiring them to achieve something that demands collective efforts.