After 100 days, PM’s popularity still undimmed
A spring in his step. His hawkish resolve to make India recover from sluggish growth and establish the nation as one of the indisputable great powers of Asia virtually sums up the first 100 days in office of 63- year- old Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi.
The Congress accuses him of “administrative terrorism” and his detractors claim that India under Mr Modi could turn into a version of George Orwell’s 1984. But if the public mood is anything to go by, Prime Minister Modi leads the popularity charts and till now those who have voted him to power with an overwhelming majority still have faith in his ability to transform India.
In the first 100 days of the Modi government, the country has seen the rise of its most powerful PMO ever.
If under the UPA government the Prime Minister was viewed largely as a “puppet”, in the Modi era the PM is himself the puppeteer. Also, with close aide Amit Shah taking over the reins of the BJP, Mr Modi’s shadow looms large over the party
Presides over most powerful PMO India has seen; set to join league of Nehru, Indira, Vajpayee
organisation.
In the past three months the nation has seen the impact of “minimum government, maximum governance”, and it seems to like it.
There have been speedy decisions, and bureaucrats and ministers appear to have been made accountable. The result — India’s GDP growth in the first quarter of the financial year has beat expectations to register 5.7 per cent, the highest in the past nine quarters. This is also only the second quarter of above five per cent growth since early 2012. Reports indicate the markets have also seen their best period in the past 100 days.
“Both the Sensex and Nifty have managed to hit record highs almost on a daily basis, supported by strong global liquidity and robust macro numbers,” reports say.
With Mr Modi at the helm, long- delayed eco-
- nomic reform measures have begun to take shape, that include tax reforms, railway modernisation, encouraging small entrepreneurs in an attempt to turn India into a hub for manufacturing. Despite pressure and stiff opposition, the government is looking at the option on bringing in FDI in insurance, easing environmental laws, among other things. The PM’s “Jan Dhan” scheme has taken the country by storm, his use of technology in governance could possibly turn into a game- changer.
Some feel there have been only three Indian PMs who have left their imprint on the global stage — Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Atal Behari Vajpayee. But Mr Modi’s rise from being one of the most vilified Indian politicians in the international arena to becoming one of the most sought after Indian PMs globally has left many surprised.
The first signal of his high- powered diplomacy was seen when he invited the leaders of all Saarc nations to his swearing- in. Strategic expert Brahma Chellaney said in an article: “His hosting of leaders from India’s neighbourhood when he was sworn in, his highly effective visits to two of India’s neighbours, Nepal and Bhutan, his diplomatic dexterity at the Brics ( Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Brazil, and his watershed trip to Japan are coming to define his nimble foreign policy approach. Since his thumping electoral mandate, foreign dignitaries have made a beeline to call on him.”
Mr Modi at the same time showed his tough side by calling off the scheduled foreign secretary- level talks with Pakistan after its envoy to India Abdul Basit met the Kashmiri sepa- ratist leaders on the eve of the talks in New Delhi. Mr Modi and defence minister Arun Jaitley have made it clear India “will respond adequately” to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan. But the PM has also said this was not the end of the road. “I had a very good meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May 2014 when he attended the swearing- in ceremony of my government... We, therefore, were disappointed that Pakistan sought to make a spectacle of these efforts and went ahead with talks with secessionist elements from Jammu and Kashmir.”