Mahabharata, the Sanskrit language epic, is also the world’s longest poem. The epics serves as a devotional, religious and philosophical guide, and at the same time, Mahabharata also informs us that even members from the same clan and community can be on the opposite sides of dharma. The fight between the Pandavas and the Kauravas involved no foreigner, with the former fighting for the cause of justice while the latter were driven by greed and revenge.
India of today is also fighting against forces that are from within the country, however, their allegiance is questionable. These forces are using all means — from inciting people to wage war against their democratically elected governments (left-wing extremism) to insulting the country and undermining its unity and democratic fabric on foreign soil (anti-national elitism). The latter was on display when a prominent face of the Indian Opposition recently claimed that “Indian democracy is under attack” while delivering a lecture at a prestigious college in the UK.
But should we worry too much about these negative forces that have always wanted to the keep the country in an alarming state to further their own political and financial goals? The Pandavas ultimately won the Kurukshetra War, but are the good forces winning in today’s India? Let us find out.
Make in India wins support from all quarters
Instead of reeling from the continuous onslaught by opposition parties and their leaders, India is shining brighter, thanks to the across-the-broad backing the country has managed to win from both within and outside. First, the electorate has pinned hopes on a political party that seeks to build a prosperous and resilient country in the least possible time. The election results from northeastern states corroborate the belief that Indians want to be led by upright and ambitious leaders — having traits of Yudhishthira –that prefer good governance and inclusive growth over vested interests and dynasticism.
Second, India is drawing so much support from outside of its soil that the country is soon expected to become the most formidable manufacturing powerhouse in the world. This is no rhetoric and numbers reflect the trust foreign investors hold. Official data informs us that annual foreign direct investment (FDI) has increased two-fold over the past nearly eight years since 2014. Not many in the electorate — who vote for the BJP simply because the party has displayed zero-tolerance for corruption — know that when the world economy was reeling from the Covid pandemic in 2020, India hit its highest in FDI.
If the ruling party at the centre and in most of the Indian states is preferring the Make in India initiative — supported by elements like reduction in compliance burden and focus on ease of doing business and incentivising of businesses — the Opposition seems to be preferring a ‘Break outside India’ tactic
From nearly US$82 billion in Financial Year 2020-21 (as compared to just US$45 billion in FY14-15), India again achieved the highest FDI inflows in FY21-22 with nearly US$85 billion. In fact, official data reveals that FDI has grown a massive 20-fold between FY2003-04 (US$4.3 billion)and FY ending 2022. Another stunning achievement was the GDP growth of 20 per cent in the fourth quarter of the pandemic financial year (in contrast to a sharp 24 per cent contraction during the first quarter).
From highest ever exports in FY21-22 to being the world’s epicenter in terms of startups and unicorns, India is shining, thanks to support from both within and outside.
Break outside India
If the ruling party at the centre and in most of the Indian states is preferring the Make in India initiative — supported by elements like reduction in compliance burden and focus on ease of doing business and incentivising of businesses — the Opposition seems to be preferring a ‘Break outside India’ tactic. The recent lecture at the Cambridge Judge Business School was probably an effort in the same direction. Also supporting the evil cause of Indian Opposition parties are a few outsiders like foreign headquartered news agencies and even equity sector market participants that are launching a strike on India’s political and economic integrity.
The Kauravas were no stranger to Hindus and in fact could have gone on to become heroes like the Pandavas had Kauravas also chosen the path of morality and public good. Similarly, many Opposition leaders during the present times are no stranger to Indians, but it is their insatiable greed that is distancing them increasingly from their own people. From creating hurdles in the parliament to misusing the right to approach the judicial system to partnering with some anti-Indian foreign forces, these India’s very own political parties are, in their state of panic and hopelessness, using all means to deal a blow to India’s new growth engine.
The good is winning, yet again
If Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata teach us innumerable good things, probably the greatest teaching is that virtue would always win over vice. Virtue would always find partners (the Pandavas had Lord Krishna on their side), and India’s FDI growth and increase in GDP output and other economic metrics show how the country is finding partners, both from within the country and outside of it, in its endeavour to script the new success story.
There is no denying that the Vision 2047 goal would be achieved under the leadership of right set of politicians. No matter how hard the Opposition tries to stifle the pace and spirit, India’s electorate and country’s foreign-based backers are unequivocally providing the requisite support.
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