A Well Kept Promise?
Dear Shri Narendra Modi Ji
As a common citizen of this country, the only way I can reach you and congratulate you for your government’s maiden budget is through this column. I thank the editor of Organiser, who has permitted me to pen my thoughts and opinions as a nameless, faceless Indian.
One may ask why am I thanking you instead of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who presented the Budget?
The biggest reason behind this is the fact that the entire budget carries your imprint. Reposing strong confidence and trust in you, the electorate had voted you to power with an unprecedented mandate. Usually politicians make tall promises during elections, but don’t honour them after getting elected. However, your budget is a reflection of what you had promised during pre-poll campaigns.
You had assured lakhs of weavers, mostly Muslims of Varanasi from where you got elected as Member of Parliament, that you would improve their impoverished state of living. Paying obeisance to river Ganga, you had promised that you would clean the holy river and restore its glory. And, you have kept your promise Sir, by launching the Namami Ganga project and a handloom facilitation centre for the weavers of Varanasi.
All politicians who take oath to serve the nation should learn a lesson from this precedence. It’s a lesson of commitment.
Much before the general election, whenever you spoke of Jammu & Kashmir, the Congress and its allies, pseudo-secular intellectuals and separatists used the issue as a weapon to attack you and question your credibility. But today, as a common nameless Indian, who could even be from Kashmir, I’m grateful to you that for the first time you have ensured special provision for Kashmiri migrants.
You have made us believe that the virtue of trust is not dead yet.
Your government’s Budget shows that you, a man of humble background, have ensured that the suffering of the common man, the aam aadmi of this country, should be alleviated. On the one hand, if the Budget talks about FDI in defence and insurance sectors, and plans to reduce fiscal deficit, on the other hand, it has also ensured a cushion for the poor and the weaker section in healthcare, basic education and food security among others.
After a long time, the salaried middle class has got relief in the form Rs 50,000 exemption in income tax.
PM Sir, I’m not here to analyse the Budget, nor am I capable enough to deal with financial jugglery, but I once again on behalf of millions of nameless, faceless Indians salute you and your commitment to make a new India, a new Bharat. We are with you as foot soldiers committed to march ahead under your strong and able leadership, after a long time.
Now we truly feel that if not today, after a year or two – “Achche Din Aanewale Hain”.
[The opinion expressed in this column is solely that of the writer—A Nameless Indian]
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