In the last ten years, India’s voter mentality and political narrative have evolved. In 2014, after nearly seventy years of parliamentary democracy, Indians were disillusioned and demoralised by the political legacy of corruption, criminalization of politics, and nepotism that had turned India into a dynastic democracy.
This had eroded people’s faith in the country’s polity and government. The biggest challenge before any incoming new government, therefore was to restore confidence in the democratic system, credibility in the elected government and pride in nationhood.
After three decades of coalition governments, in 2014 the Narendra Modi led BJP/NDA alliance was elected with a decisive majority. Analysts attributed the victory to the BJP’s strategy of polarising voters along caste and communal lines.
But when in 2019 Modi led the BJP/NDA alliance back to power for a second successive term with an even bigger mandate, it became evident that the Indian voters’ priorities and perceptions had changed from caste, religion and region to performance, delivery, development, and nation building.
A pre-election survey conducted in April/2014 across 525 parliamentary constituencies by Association for Democratic Reforms/DAKSH revealed that the most pressing problems faced by the people across the urban-rural divide were lack of job opportunities, potable drinking water, proper schools, adequate electricity, primary health-care, good roads, efficient public transport system, effective law & order, terrorism, high food prices and women’s empowerment.
According to the 2011 census, 53 per cent of the population did not have access to drinking water/water source or toilets. 66% used firewood etc for cooking. In these circumstances women were the worst sufferers having to leave the safety of their homes to fetch water, collect firewood or relieve themselves. People felt unless these problems were permanently solved any change would be meaningless.
Indian governments have always formulated policies for the peoples’ welfare from the Nehruvian era five-year plans, Indira Gandh’s Garibi Hatao/20-point program, Janata Dal’s Gandhian Alternative, Vajpayee’s Sarba Siksha Abhiyan to UPA’s liberalization for inclusive growth.
But however good the policies they were rendered useless by faulty implementation which had prompted former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to assert that out of every Rupee spent for poverty alleviation only 16 paise reached the targeted beneficiaries. Twenty years later nothing had changed, because in 2009 then Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia reiterated the same.
The NDA government also formulated people centric policies with the potential to transform India. Swacch Bharat Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Sulabh Sauchalaya Abhiyan, Ujwala Scheme, PM Awas Yojana, Garib Kalyan Yojana, DBT-Bharat, Jal-Jeevan Mission, PM-SHRI Schools etc. The only difference was in execution and delivery.
The schemes were time bound, efficiently implemented, regularly monitored, leakages plugged and accountability fixed ensuring the benefits reached their targets. This helped transform the lives of the poor, improve their living conditions and dignity. According to the United Nations the Swacch Bharat Mission, access to safe drinking water and decline in open defecation has improved rural hygiene and reduced infant mortality.
Despite the disruptions of the pandemic and Ukraine war the decade saw India rise from the fragile five to the top five economies of the world. The implementation of the Goods & Services Tax was a major post-independence tax reform that brought the informal sector into the indirect-taxes net. Digitization made the Indian economy less-cash, more formal and tax compliant.
Some other policy interventions to address the economy’s structural weaknesses and facilitate ease of doing business like Banking reforms, Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act 2016, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, Progressive tax regime, Production Linked Incentive, Start-Up India, Make in India, Mudra Loans, Jan Dhan Yojana, Single Window Clearance etc stimulated growth, boosted investor confidence and buoyed revenue collections.
An integrated infrastructure development program was undertaken to build roads, railways, airports, inland water-ways, sea ports, digital connectivity and fastag toll clearance to bring down logistic costs from an uneconomic 14% to a competitive 8% to enable the Indian economy and exports to compete globally. Today India is considered the fastest growing economy in the world and an attractive investment destination.
Externally too India’s stature grew with its “India First” foreign policy, strong response to cross-border terrorism, firm handling of the Sino-Indian border dispute, positive interactions with its South/South-East Asian neighborhood and major global powers. Its successful tenure as G-20 President and hosting conferences across India exposed the country’s transformation to the world.
In the past decade, with some exceptions, the Northeast witnessed peace, stability and progress. Militancy waned with most insurgent groups signing peace-accords. Instability in Myanmar stalled the Act East policy, but surface communications with Bangladesh was opened. Many stalled and new infrastructure projects were completed improving connectivity.
Government sponsored self-employment schemes for women’s self-help groups has rejuvenated the rural economy. The Northeast being a biodiversity hot-spot, development projects must however adhere to sustainable development goals. Perennial floods and soil erosion which cause huge annual damage and loss remains a major problem. Moreover, the application of the Citizenship Amendment Act Rules without modification in the Northeast, particularly Assam, is a matter of concern for the indigenous population.
High food prices, low agricultural productivity, population density, poverty, inequality, unemployment, pollution, environmental degradation, malnutrition, gender discrimination, child trafficking, elderly care communalism, administrative inertia/corruption, terrorism and cyber crime are some major socio-economic challenges still facing the country.
The allegations of majoritarianism, compromising democratic institutions and misusing central government agencies for political vendetta has somewhat sullied the government’s image and achievements. Yet overall, the decade has been about delivering on promises, restoring faith in Indian democracy and pride in nationhood.
The I.N.D.I.A Alliance with it’s one point agenda of Modi Hatao is not in sync with the mood of the nation. Based on the developments of the past decade, the narrative today in an aspirational India is about Viksit Bharat/Developed India. But a democracy thrives on the merit and integrity of it’s elected representatives, not only on the charisma of one individual. Voters must therefore elect persons with the calibre and courage to stand-up for the peoples’ interests and not succumb to the dictates of the high command for personal or party interests.
