The Tragedy of MODIfied India
We are living in unprecedented times where Oxygen is the new currency. The rich, the poor, the famous and the not-so-famous, nobody is spared. We wake up to the same news every day. We wake up afraid to check our phones for bad news. We wake up scared for ourselves, our families and our loved ones. We wake up hoping the world is a better place today.
We seem to have undone most of the progress we made since independence in the last few years. India’s experience of the pandemic will be defined by this gigantic second wave. But the void the country now finds itself in was not caused in a single day or by any one man or a single government. It is the greatest failure of our generation and will be remembered as a tragedy for generations to come.
Going back in time, our current Honorable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has scripted one of the most remarkable political triumphs — ‘Abki baar, Modi Sarkar’. One hundred and seventy-one million people voted for Modi in 2014. Although it is hard to know how many did so enthusiastically and how many just because the desired alternative in India was almost impossible to imagine.
When earlier prime ministers appeared indecisive, Modi was resolute and the mesmerizing speaking style ‘Mann ki baat’ became his trademark. Even his taste for colorful outfits brought a dash of glamour to a country long used to politicians in old-fashioned, hand spun white cotton. From being Gujrat’s Chief Minister, he opened the door to the nation’s highest office. He targeted the nineteenth century India of the villages, by playing the modest ‘chai-walla’, the twentieth century of the urban middle class and the youth of twenty-first century India who uses smart phones by introducing his own YouTube channel.
Modi’s tenure has included many promising initiatives, the most dramatic being — ‘Notebandi’ or ‘demonetization’ with the intention of exhausting the practice of black money. Another was including ‘GST’ and ‘Aadhar’, a biometric card identity system which has helped many access better government services. Idolized by the crowds, he has a particular flair for communication. To see their Prime Minister on stage being cheered as a global leader is undoubtedly a feeling of pride.
Nonetheless, corruption has always found its way throughout modern Indian history. Therefore, it needs no explanation why campaigns and election rallies went on despite seeing a huge upward surge in the number of Covid cases. Lives have been sacrificed to save the numbers.
If you are worshipped for all the goodness, you are also to take responsibility for all the wounds. And the wounds the country has got this time are incurable.
You do not export your vaccine to other countries and leave your own people to experience a major shortfall. You do not hide away when thousands of your people are being cremated on the street because crematoriums are full. You do not run election rallies in the middle of a pandemic, putting yourself and everyone around you at risk of catching and spreading a virus known for its fatal nature.
This problem, unlike the first wave, is ‘Made in India’ and was very much preventable. While this too shall pass, the scars will remain etched in the memory of millions. And history will judge the Government’s handling of the pandemic even if the upcoming elections won’t.
The human scale of India’s future remains quite intimidating. And as helpless Indian citizens, we continue to wait for ‘Achhe din’ under your governance.
We can start rebuilding once we accept we were wrong and also realize what is important.
#BreatheIndia
Nidhi
May 05, 2021
