BJP and Modi have a lot to celebrate after ‘undoing’ 60 years of hard work in six

As I write this, the BJP Government at the Centre has embarked on a publicity campaign for itself, celebrating past six years of BJP rule in India. And indeed, there is so much to celebrate in these times, is there not?

As the Honourable Union Minister’s paean to himself and his boss is headlined: “Undoing 6 decades in 6 years”. How refreshingly honest! The BJP under Narendra Modi has indeed worked hard to undo India in as many ways as possible. Even if in 2014, the economy was on a wobble thanks to three years of “policy paralysis” by the previous UPA government, brought on by allegations now revealed as largely unfounded, by the India Against Corruption movement, India was on a growth trajectory.

After six years of Modi rule, we are now in negative growth. This is a stupendous achievement. Don’t blame the virus. All credit goes to the Narendra Modi government. After riding for a couple of years on falling oil prices, he came up with demonetisation of 85 per cent of Indian currency. Since 2016, it’s been a free fall.

The banks are in crisis. Middle and small manufacturing is almost at a standstill. Jobs are down. No investment, foreign or local. Real estate in the doldrums. Livelihoods smashed.

But is that the biggest achievement of the past six years? How about the rise of sectarianism, fuelled by divisive policies and statements of BJP leaders? The lynching of Muslims – mob violence ignored by the police – began almost immediately after the victory of the BJP and its allies in 2014. It did not stop for the first term. The pretext may have been the “protection” of cows”. Or it may be that the mention of cows provided a handle to supporters, assurance that attacks on Muslims as well as Dalits would be encouraged

India has been through many horrific riots, many with state complicity. But this was the first: a long, slow build-up, a constant stream of terrifying violent incidents until the victims realise that there is no hope or recourse for them. They are bludgeoned into submission.

The collapse of democratic institutions? How about that? India’s press freedom index has been steadily on the decline as journalists who question the government have arbitrary cases slapped on them. Activists who speak of injustices are jailed. Sedition charges used by colonial rulers to suppress Indian voices are freely used in a supposed democracy.

If the Solicitor General of India, an officer of the court, can stand up in the Supreme Court of India and accuse people of not being patriotic because they question the government, and the Supreme Court says or does nothing, what is the worth of the Constitution of India and all the rights we citizens draw from it?

Before the virus hit us, let us not forget that we were in the midst of a Constitutional crisis. The state of Jammu and Kashmir had been ripped and shredded. Indian citizens were about to be forced to go through a torturous, tortuous process to establish their citizenship. There were protests across the country against this unconstitutional ruling.

We do not know if the process will restart once the Covid 19 pandemic ends. And so, we come to the pandemic itself. Yes, the planet was taken unawares. But still, we have stood out with our inept, unplanned and disastrous handling of the situation.

Lies and nonsense marked the first half of the Union government’s plan (stand in the sunshine for 15 minutes, we have tested all visitors to India, drink cow urine to build immunity). Then we went into rapid lockdown, ostensibly to “build health infrastructure”. In the first lockdown, we clapped and clanged and shouted, “Go Corona go”. Judging from the rising virus, no one listened. The lies continue.

The long and shameful walk home of India’s labourers was denied. It took sustained public effort, no help from the Supreme Court until it was shamed by the High Courts, and opposition offers to help, before the Government of India woke up. That is, two months after people with no food, no money, took their children and belongings and walked for miles.

The best we got from Modi is that we should be “self-reliant”. The subtext is that his Government will do nothing.

There are many more achievements to list: from toppling governments during a crisis to refusing money to states and then blaming them for Centre’s failures.

I leave you with this: unemployment is now at 24 per cent, the virus remains.

So much to celebrate.