November 9, 2015
Dear Friends,
Subject: Common Man’s Audit Of The NDA Performance Till Date (November 9, 2015).
We have planned this audit a few days back. Now that the NDA has badly lost the Bihar elections, this exercise has become all the more relevant.
We have undertaken this audacious task, which is much beyond our ability and competence. But, it is to be noted this is not statics-based professional audit. We have taken this evaluation with the hope and confidence that we will be pardoned if we fail to outgrow our incompetence, especially because we are neither politicians, nor economists nor sociologists nor even anthropologists. We have only some field experience in intelligence and security matters.
It will, therefore, by and large, be a generalist’s approach to different facets of common man’s life. We have had the occasion of having reported on many aspects covered today. In order that we do not tax your patience too much, we shall, therefore, only touch upon on most of the related issues almost on bullet point style.
POSITIVES
a) First and foremost, thanks to outstanding success of Modiji in his foreign policy, India is now one among the global powers—a position India has never enjoyed since the country’s independence in 1947.
b) Calling all SAARC country leaders at. the oath-taking ceremony was indeed a master stroke!
c) The third Indo- African Summit last month held at New Delhi was another mile-stone in its span and future possibilities.
d) Foreign investors are now looking at India and even though slowly, foreign investments are coming. Japan and China have committed big sums to India.
e) India, China are longer on inimical terms. China has agreed to work together with India and Pakistan on terror.
f) On US-China differences on South China Sea, China declared India could play some useful mediatory role.
g) For the first time, a US President was the Chief Guest at the 26th January Republic Day Parade. Obama also visited India a second time. Indo-US relation is at its best now.
h) On the internal front, here is a Prime Minister, who came with the wrongly alleged and widely propagated baggage of 2002 Gujarat riots (since cleared through Judicial commissions and courts), has succeeded in streamlining the ill-famed bureaucracy to an extent that every one today, bosses and juniors, reaches offices in time—not a mean achievement in the existing background.
i) The last ten years of the two terms of the UPA government was in terms of big scams represented the darkest years in India. Touch wood, no story of any such scam has yet to come to notice.
j) Touch wood again, despite the communal temperature in the country being highly surcharged, no big communal clash has taken place any where in the country—a sort of tribute to the beleagured police in the country.
k) Similarly, now better societal peace prevails generally. No instance of big size caste clashes or no big law and order problem have yet taken place during these 17 months of the NDA rule.
l) On the economic front, Jan Dhan Yojna/Mudra banking system, enabling opening of bank accounts by the commoners, have started off very well.
m) It has now been acknowledged universally that India is among the best investment centres. According to Brand Finances, India is now the 7th “most valued nation brand”.
n) A great political breakthrough has been achieved in Jammu and Kashmir in that, notwithstanding its inherent faults, for the first time a non-Muslim political party has gained entry into Kashmir State assembly.
o) In the backdrop of Muslim youth turning to dangerous ISIS attraction, the NDA government has initiated steps to de-radicalise them through Islamic scholars.
p) The NDA government have encouraged improvement in policing philosophy and performance, primarily based on modern and advanced technology, by facilitating the formation of two new police bodies, namely, the Police Foundation and the Police Institute of. .
NEGATIVES
i). Because of his extensive touring abroad, many important pieces of work on the internal front have been going by default in so far as the Prime Minister is concerned. Some of these are so obvious and urgent, that a commentator almost passionately appealed, “Modiji, Come Home. Come Home”. After all, as it is known, a country is as strong as its internal administration, that includes economy and policing.
ii). One of the principal planks on which the last Parliamentary elections were fought was “corruption”. Nothing much in visible form seems to have been made or planned in this field.
iii). A most effective means to achieve that is to bring about total Police Reforms. If true Police Reforms could be achieved and thereby, corruption in police can be controlled, this cancer can be arrested.
iv). Proxy war by Pakistan on the Western sector, often or mostly backed by Pak ISI, continues anabated, causing adverse reaction in people’s mild about government’s seriousness and intention on this score. Some strong measures that Pak would have to pay heavily for this misadventure, are called for early.
v). Indo-Nepal relationship has suddenly deteriorated. The general impression has gained on that this could have been handled better. This has been a case of diplomatic failure.
vi). Nothing much is in view that the NDA has done anything worth in respect of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. Modiji had made a lot of promises on this during the course of election propaganda. The charge of breach of promise is particularly made against the Prime Minister.
vii). The biggest charge against the NDA government is not only vigourously ‘continuing the uncalled for minority(read Muslim) appeasement policy of the UPA government but also further extending the same, much to the utter neglect of poorer sections of the majority community including the tribals. Enormuous quantity of facts on have this matter been provided to the government by us been provided to the government by us.
viii). Not much is known or seems to have been done to improve the job prospects of the educated youth. Technological improvements lead to concomitant shrinkage of jobs. The youth are not, therefore, getting job, much less to talk of jobs, appropriate to their qualifications.
ix). The overall national security situation in the context of rather fast progress of Islamist forces around does not evoke much confidence among the masses. Apart from the islamic incursion from the Western side, forces like Jamaat, operating from the Eastern neighbour Bangladesh, has been the concern, as revealed from the October 2, 2014, incident. Additionally, AL Qaeda claims to have developed a base there. Read in the context of Muslim-friendly government in West Bengal,a very strategically located State,this threat assumes more accute dimension.
x) A general accusation has often been heard that the BjP made too many empty poll promises.
RECOMENDATIONS
1. The negative factors identified should show the way forward. Nevertheless, some recommendations are made in order to make sure no important points have been missed out.
2. With the NDA having just lost Bihar, the party would be doing its own analysis of the cause of this what can be easily called a debacle. An important aspect would be to study and appreciate this election’s impact on national politics as also on Narendra as an individual. Among easily identified points,some analysts have said, “the party and government were not marching in steps, and the RSS dealt the severest blow while highlighting the population disparity and how to tackle that.”
3. A suggestion has been offered is: the NDA ought to pay more respect to elder members of the party. An Advisory Board comprising some amongst them would prove highly fruitful. Its guidance need not be mandatory but could at times make the cut. The government will any day more but Advisory Board could bring in the peoples’ perception.
4. Similarly, the Strategy Group formed with personalities like Dr. Subramanian Swamy and M J Akbar could be tasked for specific areas and could be made use of.
5. At the cost of over-emphasising, we would strongly recommend that the NDA be intelligent enough to remove the growing discontent and disaffection in the minds of majority of the majority community against the continuing minority appeasement policy for the sake of appearing to be politically correct. The lesson from the JK elections ought not to have been forgotten so fast.
6. The NDA must do enough to earn the confidence that the country is safe in their hands. A close reading of the NEGATIVES will make that clear.
7. All the award-returning drama of proving INTOLERANCE on the part of the Hindutva group, is aimed at not allowing Parliament to function. This game plan has to be outsmarted.
8. The reservation issue is live. It is time that due criteria be worked out on the ECONOMIC CRITERIA and ECONOMIC CRITERIA ONLY.
9. The Apex Court has recently asked the government to give its opinion on the vexed issue on the Muslim personal law, discriminating against women. Advantage should be taken of this for further follow-up action.
10. It is also time to work out in all possible manner how to implement the Common Civil Code, which has been working only in the State of Goa.
11. The NDA government’s notification on the issue of the OROP. The war veterans and the armed forces have not liked it. We have given practical and workable suggestions on that. Be that as may, it is imperative that the armed forces are kept happy and their morale high. Nothing could be more disastrous for the country to have a disgruntled army.
12. On the economic front, once the Dhan Yojona Programme and the Mudra Banks start function and, we believe, they have, the economic front will stabilise. These have to be very carefully and systemically pursued.
13. Along with the much-needed Police Reforms, we believe some steps will be taken to beef up the country’s Intelligence agencies as well. In all cases and every where, the success or failure in work or war lies on intelligence. Every one in administration ought to realise that. As a matter of fact, intelligence should permeate into and prevail over the entire system. And, with advancing technological progress all around, there is an urgent need for modernisation in intelligence collection, analysis and management as well. We are certain necessary action in this regard must have been done or is being undertaken. All these need not and must not, however, come into the public domain.
Friends, summing up but getting a little personal, which should generally be avoided, we tend to agree with Dr. S Gurumurthy when he had said “Modi has recovered from minus and gone to plus.” The recent setback in Bihar notwithstanding, it will not be incorrect to share Gurumurthy’s assertion, made on completion of Modi government’s peformance after one year. It was on June 24, 2015, to be precise.”You take any measure by Narendra Modi, it is intended for today’s results; the result will be permanent. He is planning a socio-economic structure which will be solid for the country whether Modi is the prime minister or some body else is.”
Well, every one amongst you will have your own assessment. We have shared ours. That is all.
We beg your pardon for too lengthy mail.
Vandemataram,
Your sevak,
D.C. Nath
(Former Spl. Director, IB)
