For, whatever a great man does, that very thing other men also do, whatever standard he sets up, the generality of men follow the same (Bhagvad Gita Ch.3, sloka -21). Politically, PM Modi has been de-facto the greatest, ruling the country for over a decade, and therefore people in general tend to follow the standard he sets.

What means mere glorification of the past if the speaker does not follow the same. The God Ram of Ayodhya when went in exile and was wandering in the Dandak forest, the sages there asked protection from him in lieu of taxes paid saying “O Ram! … the king who collects as big as sixth part from the income of the people, but does not protect them deserve punishment for the sin … .”

Glorification of the past is easier said than done, which can be understood by this example. How much direct and indirect taxes are being collected by PM Narendra Modi led government? Does it really protect the citizens after collecting taxes from them that sometime touches about 40 per cent of above, even when there is a single tax window called GST? Can any glorification of the pact justify the present system of governance and the misdeeds of the government?

The press release issued by the Prime Minister’s office has highlighted five key points of his speech that are worth quoting here to understand the difference between the word and the deeds of the government. These five key points are –India is the mother of democracy; Our constitution is the foundation of India’s unity; when NDA got the opportunity to form the government in 2014, democracy and constitution got streamlined; to free the poor from their difficulties is our biggest mission and resolution; and if we follow our fundamental duties no one can stop us from making Viksit Bharat.

Let us take glorification of India as the mother of democracy. PM Modi said it was a matter of pride and honour for all the citizens of India and all the people across the globe who respect democracy that we are celebrating this festival of Democracy. What is then the current status of democracy in India? India scored only 0.399 out of 1 in V Dem Democracy indices in 2023 while the Economist Democracy Index in 2022 considered India a flawed democracy. This very dismal performance can’t be kept under veil by merely saying that India is the mother of democracy.

During the last one decade of his rule, the opposition has always been alleging that democracy is under threat, and they are not all together wrong. Democracy is not a rule of the majoritarian community. Why then PM Modi and his party and his political clan always talk about Hindutva and Hindu majority as if India is not a democracy? At present India is undergoing a crisis – minorities are being attacked systematically through illegal and legal means. Legal means through which PM Modi led government has been alleged to interfering with efforts of bringing UCC, Waqf legislation, Citizenship laws and so on. Modi government have even toppled several elected governments of the opposition.

Constitution of India does not have provision of only a simple democracy, but a socialist, secular democracy with a federal structure. All the tents have been under attack by his government, which is alleged of clipping the financial and other rights of the elected state governments, sometimes through bringing new legislations and sometimes through its governors. Therefore, there is an utter mismatch between his glorification of the “mother of democracy” and his actions, which makes his speech a mere hypocrisy. The current status of Democracy in India has far more degraded in form and spirit of the past.

PM Modi praised the system of republic? One can ask, why then his government clipped the wings of the elected government is Delhi by bringing a legislation that says the Centre’s nominated Lieutenant Governor is the “government”. It is despite the fact that the Supreme Court has even criticized the highhandedness of his government for more than once.

He talked about Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam and praised himself. However, is should be noted that it would be brought after 2029, not before that. Actual position is that his government policies does not favour the women participation in the workforce including in the democratic representation. When his government came in power in 2014 female labour force participation was 35.5 per cent which declined to 23.3 per cent in 2017-2018. That year a new way of counting of employed started in the form of PLFS, which counted even those who were helping the family without wages as employed. Majority of such helpers are women, and thus government increased female labour force participation which rose to 37 per cent in 2022-23. Is it an honest way of empowerment of women?

PM Modi talked about the Constitution as the basis of India’s Unity. They why his party and his political clan has been propagating divisive communal politics? During elections, BJP leaders, including himself, talks about “Hindu Unity” for political polarization. Communal unrest in the country speaks a lot about the divisive politics of the BJP that works against the unity of all religious communities in the country as a whole.

When NDA got the opportunity to form the government in 2014, democracy and constitution got streamline, he claimed. However, the reality is otherwise. The last one decade is marked by democratic and constitutional degradation in the country, and most of the institutions, including the Election Commission of India, suffered right from the dominance of the executive over the democratic spirit in appointments and functioning.

He talked about his government’s mission of freeing the poor from difficulties, on the ground of some of his government’s welfare schemes. However, the fact is, welfare schemes such as giving free foodgrain to over 800 million people just makes their poverty a litter more tolerable, while they remain poor. People can overcome their poverty only if they earn enough money, which is not possible for them because labour market conditions are very bad. Even those who among working, many remain in poverty because they are compelled to work on very low wages offered to them. There is serious shortage of decent jobs in the country.

Finally, PM Modi talked about fundamental duties, and said if we follow our fundamental duties no one can stop us from making Viksit Bharat. Does it apply to the Prime Minister himself and his government? What is the fundamental duty of a prime minister and the government? Do their fundamental duties include widening inequalities to such a level that the biggest 20 companies in India bag 60 per cent of wealth creation and 70 per cent of national income? People are just being misled in the name of Vikasit Bharat, where there is little hope for the common people, unless his government stops favouring the selected rich and cater to the need of the common people with suitable pro-people steps.

Moreover, the fundamental duties of a government and prime minister must included social harmony, restoring peace through effective management of law and order, equitable financial and administrative measures, and creating space for the implementation of the Constitution of India in all its words and spirit. (IPA Service)