By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Several governance and political setbacks have marked much prominently than any of the good performances of PM Narendra Modi led government during the first month of its third term (Modi 3.0). All these began with taking his oath on June 9, 2024, as a Prime Minister of a coalition government, that considerably reduced his political status both within and outside the Parliament of India. He has to face challenges in running a coalition government and a stronger opposition seeking accountability on every policy and action. Moreover, he will have lesser opportunities to shift blames on former Union Governments, especially led by Congress, for his own failure. PM Modi will have to work hard now to remain politically relevant.
PM Modi had earlier claimed of winning 370 seats in 18th Lok Sabha election for his party, but that actually reduced to 240. It was 63 seats less than it had in the outgoing 17th Lok Sabha. It necessitated him to run a coalition government with the help of political parties which do not subscribe to the “Hindu Rashtra” dream of RSS-BJP clan. This in itself is a serious setback for PM Modi and his clan bringing certain level of political uncertainty. Moreover, he has been facing political challenges from the stronger INDIA bloc having 230 seats in the Lok Sabha. Even in the Rajya Sabha, one NDA ally the BJD has opposed his government and joined hands with the INDIA bloc in their walk-out.
Modi is still trying to readjust himself in the milieu of new political reality. He has been in the habit to blame Congress and Nehru-Gandhi family for every predicament of the people of India, and also for every governance failure under his regime. However, he can’t do so in all matters that has become clear after the “paper leaks” under his regime. It was under his regime in 2017, the National Testing Agency (NTA) was created as an autonomous and self-sustaining testing organization under the Ministry of Education, then known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD). This agency failed in conducting fair examinations in the country. NEET paper leak and UGC-Net paper leak are latest examples. These are clear governance failures, and neither Congress, nor the Nehru-Gandhi family are even remotely connected. Accountability is totally on Modi government.
The opposition INDIA bloc demanded discussions of paper leaks in both the House of Parliament. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi raised the issue and even wrote to PM Modi urging for an immediate debate to address the growing concerns over the NEET. Later, PM Modi said in the Parliament that the government is working on war footing to apprehend the culprits and won’t spare those behind paper leaks. Debate on the issue had earlier rejected in both the House of the Parliament. The issue is presently in the Supreme Court of India, but it would not likely to resolve all the issues relating to the future of students and job seekers in the country which are compelled to take test conducted by tainted NTA, which is creation of Modi government and no-one else. Mere words from PM Narendra Modi would not work. He will have to address the issues of students and jobseekers, or else his political clout would further be reduced from the present 240 seats. It is only an example of governance failure that marked the first month of Modi 3.0.
Apart from the issues of paper leak, the opposition Congress has criticized the government for several other failures. Railway accident is one of them, for which Modi government is totally responsible, since technical security of operating railways is Centre’s responsibility. Other issues raised by the party was terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashir, the price rise of milk, pulses, vegetables, gas, toll etc, a record fall in rupee, record breaking rise in unemployment which is 8 moths high last month, and rise in wholesale inflation that broke 15-month record.
PM Modi while addressing the Indian Community in Moscow emphasized the significance of the date July 9th, noting it had been exactly one month since he took the oath as Prime Minister for the third time. He vowed that he would work with three times the strength and speed. Though his address reflected his commitment to accelerating progress and achieving remarkable future “milestones” with unwavering dedication to India’s growth and development, his government’s fist 30 days performance is even far below the level of first 100-days agenda, that the government had prepared much before the declaration of the Lok Sabha election results on June 4. The reason of the lower level of performance is directly related to new political realities and weaknesses that cropped in governance in general.
Corruption and infrastructure failure under Modi’s rule are obvious in numerous collapses, including collapses of structure in Delhi airport and other central infrastructure across the country including bridges in Bihar. Opposition leaders have been hunted by the central investigating agencies like ED and CBI of corruption and money laundering charges, however, it has been recently exposed again in Hemant Soren case, in which Jharkhand High court gave bail to the former CM stating that there are “reasons to believe that Soren is not guilty”. This episode has unmasked Modi and his reality of misusing the central investigating agencies. Modi government would thus need to restore its credibility among the people that it governs impartially and well in political and economic matters.
As for Hindu communalism is concerned, PM Modi will have to tread carefully now, or else it would be made accountable in the Parliament of India, as we have seen in the very first session of the 18th Lok Sabha. He will have to show that he is not merely a prime minister of the majority Hindu community, but the prime minister of all the communities residing in India.
The first month of his third term has a clear message for PM Modi that he needs to readjust himself to the new social, political, and economic realities while leading a coalition government in which he needs to meet the great aspirations and demands of its allies, that have been pouring in day by day. (IPA Service)
