Dear Sri Narendra Modi,
At the outset I am sure you would like to join me in
congratulating the electorates of India for participating in huge numbers in
the recently concluded tryst with the EVM. A record 66.38% voters exercising
their franchise, the best ever in our electoral history is something to be
proud of; a portion of the credit must accrue to you too. Should the exit polls
hold on to their batting form, it would only be fair on my part to congratulate
you on your victory and the victory of your party and front.
I recollect an interview you gave at the fag end of this
long drawn out election campaign wherein you had mentioned that election rhetoric
is just an activity during a competition, not to be taken too seriously once
the last vote is counted. It is governance which is paramount and one needs to
take every section of the society to deliver good governance. “Even a one MP
party is a representative of the people who have voted for him/ her and must be
listened too” were your exact words. Buoyed by these words, I venture into
writing this note to you expressing some of my expectations from your
government.
I am sure I speak for millions of Indians who voted
for you despite not being members of the sangh parivar. People
who look up to you to deliver on key areas which directly affect our lives, our
aspirations, our wallets. Firstly I hope your government will focus on giving the
sluggish economy a leg up. Take decisions on pending policies/legislations
which will help investments, growth, jobs, reduce inflation whereby putting
money in my hands. Tax me please but AFTER opening avenues for me to earn
enough to secure my future and pay my taxes.
Every time I travel on work or otherwise, I thank the first
Prime Minister from your party, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee for giving this
country one of its best infrastructure projects, the four/six lane Golden
Quadrilateral colloquially known as the “Vajpayee Highways”. I wish you would
take up a similar project which will be a legacy to remember you by. You have
mentioned interlinking of the rivers already. I would suggest you set up a network
of world class food storage and cold chain infrastructure. You are aware that the
FCI warehouses are a farce. Being in a country where Goddess Annapurna is
revered, wasting food due to pathetic storage is blasphemy. Food security is a
mirage if the food grains are not secure. Simultaneously if you are able to
help the States expand public distribution and prevent leakages as done by your
colleague in Chattisgarh Dr.Raman Singh, you would have done yeoman service to
this country.
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| NaMoshkaar! |
I know you are smart enough to have worked out by now that
building temples especially at ‘that very spot’ is not the reason most voted
you in. As you rightly said, ‘shauchalayas’ are more
important than adding one more temple to the land of great temples. I would
like to see you go one step. If a school/college is added to the proposed ‘shauchalaya’, sone pe suhaga.
I am quite confident that the bravado and the jingoistic
chest thumping on Pakistan displayed before and during the election campaign
was for the benefit of a certain section of the country who are sold to
Bollywoodese. I am confident you already know that some of these rather
farfetched bombastic warmongering that one sees from this section of your
fandom is a zilch idea. While I would leave you to run your foreign policy
based on your oft repeated principle, India First, vis-à-vis any country let
alone Pakistan, I would sincerely pray that you focus attention on prevention
of terror attacks on this country by tightening the security apparatus which
was announced with fanfare post 26/11 and is a non-starter on the ground.
Needless to add I am sure you are colour blind when it comes to threats of
terrorism that India faces.
I noted your views on the Muslims of this country
particularly the part where you say that Muslims don’t want to be exploited by
lectures on Secularism. Instead what they want is to lead their lives like
normal Indians, get equal opportunities in education, jobs and a gateway to
transform their lives for the better. All this without discrimination and in an
atmosphere sans fear. I am sure all right thinking people will agree with you
on this diagnosis. To quote one of your interviews again, you said the only
holy book for governance in India is the Constitution of India. As someone who will take
oath to discharge your duties in accordance with the same holy book, I am sure
you and your Government will spend your energies to uphold all its tenants
including Secularism. No appeasement I agree, No discrimination either, in the
spirit of Yemmadhamum
Sammadhamey!
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| We, as in all of us, religion no bar! |
There is more, a lot more to do that this letter threatens
to morph into a book! And frankly I am not sure sixty months are enough to do
all that needs to be done. However the Janta Janardhan of this
country is a very wise one. When they see good work being done, they shower
their blessings again and again on the doer. On the flip side, they are also
wise enough to show the door to those who they smell are not working for them.
Best of men and women have fallen victim to their displeasure just as many you
including have received multiple mandates from them. I am sure as a consummate
politician you know them better than I do. I wish you do well enough, and for all
of us, to make India Saare Jahan Se Achcha
when, as you often say, she celebrates her Amrutvarsha!
Jai Hind!
PS: Letter to Rahul Gandhi will be out next week!
Glossary :
Sangh Parivar : Hindu right wing organizations.
Shauchalaya : Toilets
Sone pe suhaga : (Simile) Icing on the cake.
Yemmadhamum Sammadhamey : (Tamil) I accept all religions.
Janta Janardhan : Equating citizen to god.
Saare Jahan Se Achcha: The best in the world.
Amrutavarsha : 75th Anniversary.
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