Aravind Muthamil Selvan: Posted on 4/19/2014
The resonance of 2014 elections in India has already gained
much needed attention for all bad reasons, publicity, cursing and beefing
giving less reason for people to cheer up for the change in the centre after a
decade. Well, I intend to speak very little about Dr. Manmohan Singh and his
governance. As the critics say, it was nothing but a puppet show by the
economist cum prime minster in the hands of Ms. Sonia Gandhi. If not for the
critics, the recent sensation in the media house Mr. Sanjay Baru and his book
on the title “The Accidental Prime Minister” says it all. Nevertheless the Indo
- US Nuclear Deal was a watershed moment under Mr. Singh’s administration.
As the initial poll projections have concluded a big sweep
for the BJP Party, it is apprehensible that Mr. Narendra Modi is sure to make
it to the South Block in Raisina Hill, New Delhi as the Prime Minister of
India. This portrays there was hardly any challenge from the corruption tainted
Congress Party to take Mr. Modi head on. Only a better opposition could have
persuaded the people not to elect a murderer, a chauvinist and his coterie. Is
Narendra Modi going to make India the next big super power is not the question,
because we are already one. Can Narendra Modi bring about the changes and
development he brought in Gujarat for the whole country is not my interest,
because developments are already underway and it is certain to happen. But
where, for which part of the population and for whom is my biggest question of
the hour.
The corporate, media houses, NGOs are all backing Mr. Modi.
Many of the voters in 2014 elections are voting Modi not because there was a
scarcity of choice. But because of his staunch development efforts he brought
in agriculture, power, infrastructure, transport, manufacturing in his own
state. So people say why not give him a chance. Well, I have been an admirer
myself especially for his statement on even the Chaiwallas (tea sellers) can
dream to become the Prime Minister of this country. And I am not knocking on
Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal’s perception that a tea seller can never become a Prime Minister in India. Because the common wisdom is that if you argue with
an idiot, they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
For the year 2013-2014 it was projected that India’s GDP
will grow at a rate of 4.6 - 4.9%. And it is highly expected as and when Mr.
Modi take over the administration the development and growth would revive and
set off at once. Since that is anticipated to happen at will, then what is the
challenge that he and his government would be facing. BJPs secular view has to
be convinced to people at once, as the party cannot have such a heinous
ideology in the 21st era. As for as Mr. Modi is concerned the ghost
of godhra would never cease to haunt him. It is high time he and his party hold
a secular view of India before torch bearing this country. Mr. Modi should chose to accept
criticism at will, as not just critics but even public would be watching
closely his every step and move.
Mr. Modi, I am sure you will set the ball rolling for the
country to leapfrog towards progressive growth and development. But still my
question lies where and for whom? You have been constantly attacked by Mr.
Arvind Kejriwal for your close connections with Mr. Adani and Mr. Ambani. From
my own understanding, I believe it is inevitable to avoid lobbying politicians
for business gains. Business interests and economic development in a country
goes hand in hand with the ugly politics and benefits behind it. Since it is
indispensible to remain clean all times, I don’t mind stains in your hand - Mr.
Modi after all it becomes hard to avoid the capitalistic notion in this
neo-colonial era. But what do I mind is blood in your hands for the goodwill of
few businessmen and their interests, which will not be an acceptable theory. As
the next Prime Minister of India, the one gray area which Mr. Modi should look
in to is “Equal growth for all”. It’s high time to avoid the cliché
that, the rich always become richer and the poor always become poorer in this
country. India cannot afford growth and development at the cost displacing its
huge human capital. To be more specific for the interests of Tatas, Jindals,
Essars, Sterlite and Reliance displacing millions of people across different
states from their homeland would be a blunder that any government would like to
thwart.
Unequal growth and development is an injustice. If this is
not prevented, it is certain that we will read every day in the newspaper “10
Jawans killed in the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh”, “20 killed in firefighting
in Kalinganagar, Orissa”. We would never see an end to Maoism and it is certain
to spread like a forest fire across the country. For a meagre spend on their
huge profits the multinational corporations cannot advertise about creating a
better world in the name of “Corporate Social Responsibility”. If they really
cared so much, then the wages and the welfare of their workers could have been
increased. The chaos which happened in Maruti’s Manesar plant is one of the
hundreds of examples of how multinational corporations try to hoodwink the
people and the ripple effects they face. This is a very famed example of
conflict and violence which happened in the recent past. But deep within the
forests of Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa still people fight everyday to secure their
homes, lands and rights. Will Mr. Modi give the rights that these people
deserve or would he favor the rights of few businesses men and their interests
is the intense show to look out for.
“India’s next biggest war is not going to be with the
outside world, but within itself”.
Inspired by Arundhati Roy’s Capitalism: A Ghost Story
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