The trajectory embarked upon in 2014 and 2019, marked by grand promises and national optimism reflected by slogans like "ACCHE DIN," "SABKA SAATH SAB KA VISHWAS," " AMRIT KAAL " " VIKSIT BHARAT " "NAA KHAYUNGA NAA KHAANEY DUNGA"and aspirations of development, smart cities, a cleaner nation through SWACCH BHARAT, and self-reliance with "AATMNIRBHAR BHARAT", now seems to have veered off course, obscured by the dust of unfulfilled pledges.

Ten years on, the dream of "ACCHE DIN" has faded, smart cities remain elusive, and thousands of constructed toilets lay dormant, indicator of widespread mismanagement and corruption. Reports of toilet scams across states reveal staggering discrepancies between funds expended and actual implementation, begging the question of who benefited from these contracts—a matter that hardly requires astuteness to discern.

Despite substantial investments, the concept of a "SMART CITY" eludes concrete realization, leaving residents uncertain about their urban designation. Trust, once a cornerstone, erodes amidst communal tensions and incidents of violence, rekindling separatist sentiments like those for Khalistan.

How did we regress to this point in a mere ten years?

Have our hospitals, schools, police, and essential services shown improvement, or do we still prefer private alternatives? The quality of life indicators—air, water, traffic, and women's safety—remain unresolved, alongside endemic corruption in bureaucratic and Political channels.

The elected MLAs of  a state are herded and taken to a resort in a different state and an elected State Govt is toppled, and astonishingly many of us celebrate, little realising that thousands of crores of black money must have changed hands. 

Companies have been coerced to purchase ELECTORAL BONDS and rewarded but strangely we are justifying the act.

Out of 25 tainted opposition leaders who crossed over to BJP, 23 have been given reprieve ; cases have either been closed or shelved and we are gleefully celebrating the victory. 

And when some of us are unable to extend any logic behind all this , they come out with strange justification ; CONGRESS BHI TO KARTI THI. Little realising that one  elects a Govt to improve upon things rather than to continue the same old evil practicies for which the previous Govt was shunted out.

Ironically, amidst these pressing concerns,the discussions often are digressed towards religious ideologies and percieved historical grievances, sidelining urgent imperatives like scientific advancement, education reforms, healthcare enhancement, law and order reforms and urban development.

The shift from progressive agendas to archaic religious debates raises questions—Is it inadvertent or deliberate?

While the government bears responsibility for these developments, citizens must reflect :

Can a nation progress when its politics pivots around religious rhetoric and vendettas?

Time dwindles, and the repercussions of inaction loom ominously. It's imperative to act swiftly, as once matters spiral beyond control, reclaiming stability becomes arduous, if not impossible.

Revadis are going to take a heavy toll.

Reportedly, the total subsidies on food, fertilisers and fuel have gone up from 228 crores to 530 crores between 2019 -20 and 2022-23. In 2013-14 when Mr Modi took over the reins the total subsidies were around Rs 244 crores. The states have also through direct transfers increased payments ; MP alone has budgeted 8000 crores for Ladli Behena and Rs 3230 crores for Kisan Kalyan Yojana. (Rs 4000/ annual payment to 85 lakh farming families), this is over and above Rs 6000 per anum payment under PM’s Kisan Yojana. The actual expenditure may further go up now as BJP had promised during the recent concluded elections.

Not to be left behind, the Cong govt in Karnataka has also provided for 39,815 crore for its five pre poll guarantees in the budget presented this Jul. These lolly pops one can expect to be more in the run up to elections 2024.

My guess work is as good as yours; Where is the money going to come from & Who is going to face the major brunt.

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We all live in a hypocritical world full of double standards.

Almost every nation blames Hamas for a cruel attack and then talks of supporting two states Palestine and Israel, as if they do not know there is no land available now to create a Palestine.

The Gaza Strip and the West Bank are two Palestinian territories that were part of mandate Palestine. There are over 5 million Palestinians living in the two territories. 

The Gaza Strip is located in the southwest corner of Israel, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea whereas West Bank stretches across the eastern border of Israel along the west banks of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is considered by international law as part of the West Bank, with East Jerusalem being claimed as the capital by both Israelis as well as Palestinians.

Israel controls all access into the Gaza Strip and West Bank, Palestinians living there are under military occupation and are subject to Israeli restrictions, often depending on aid for food, water, and supplies.Besides the above, the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) mandated by the UN Human Rights Council on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including East Jerusalem, revealed that Israel’s occupation of West Bank since 1967 has been characterized by settlement expansion that has permanently altered the ethnic demographics and it amounts to a war crime as it amounts to de facto annexation of Palestinian territory. The UN Security Council (UNSC) also reaffirmed that Israeli settlements in the OPT violate international law. The COI also added that this coercive environment has prevented Palestinians from fulfilling their fundamental rights

So, even if one supports creation of Palestine state, the point is Where will you create and How? Do they have the courage to ask Israel to dismantle all the illegal settlements they have built over the years. 

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Covert Capability.

The biggest question that used to be on every Indian’s mind after each terror strike was ; why our intelligence agencies have never had the courage to resort to covert action and cripple terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan.

All those years particularly from 90s, we Indians felt, that we have become a soft state and should develop covert capabilities to hit the enemy where it hurts them the most.

So, when we hear that Canada and US are accusing us for getting Khalistani terrorists, (their citizens) eliminated, it is natural for Indians to feel elated; Der Aaye Durust Aaye.

However, it’s a dangerous path we are treading and we need to be very cautious, if at all, we develop covert action capabilities.

Besides the international embarassment, that it has caused recently, our own people would be increasingly fighting with eachother, that too in a foreign country, thereby washing dirty linen outside. 

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Inspired by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt.

On December 13, two people jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour and released yellow gas from canisters and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered.

Although, the motives of the group that comprised four other individuals are yet to be ascertained, but police sources said the act was “apparently inspired by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt who 94 years back, on April 8, 1929, threw bombs and pamphlets in Delhi’s Central Assembly from the visitor’s gallery, to make British Govt listen.

If Police has to be believed; the objective of these young men was to protest against various issues ; from Manipur to farmers’ concerns.

Ostensibly, this was a serious breach of security and am sure the Govt will take necessary actions.

However, my concern is different.

This could be a dress rehearsal for something big, as the objectives of the attack are vague.

The cow vigilantes, Bajrang dal goons, muslim hardline organisations, Khalistan supporters and numerous other anti-social and disgruntled elements within the country are creating a cocktail for the adversaries to exploit.

These days such events, be it at the global level or at the national level, have become an occasion to accuse each other and as a result , serious issues are turning to be human tragedies.

We Indians at Dandi

The Quit India Movement 1942

During our struggle against the formidable British Empire, they leveraged their superior weaponry to repeatedly defeat Indian forces, starting from the battle of Plassey in 1757. Over time, they subdued Indian kings who refused to comply, like Tipu Sultan who lost his kingdom after four wars, the Marathas gave up after three conflicts, and the Sikh empire disappeared defeated in two engagements. Even the rebels of 1857 faced devastating consequences. Subsequently, only a handful of determined individuals remained, resorting to sporadic attacks with meager resources hoping to disrupt British rule.

These valiant but outnumbered individuals faced overwhelming odds, confronting British machine guns with only pistols and crude bombs. Their efforts, though courageous, made little impact on the entrenched power of the British Empire. Many were hunted down, executed, or forced to flee to foreign lands, while British rule persisted.

Some freedom fighters, fearing imprisonment, opted for prolonged legal battles to evade jail. Then emerged Mahatma Gandhi with an out of box approach: nonviolent resistance through Boycott. Gandhiji advocated for boycotting British goods, British awards, employment, and other symbols of colonial authority. This strategy, though less glamorous than fighting with a gun, offered two significant advantages: One, it could involve the masses, even the poor could participate in the resistance and render the government powerless in the face of unified non cooperation, example is Farmers’ Satyagrahya at Kheda in 1918.

This tactic has proved effective, as evidenced that the British could not pursue their agenda through the Round Table Conferences due to Congress-led boycotts. They could not succeed despite pitting Savarkar's Hindu Mahasabha , Muslim League, Ambedkar and Indian Princes against Gandhiji.

The Brits  ruled India for more than 100 years in the same manner as the current Govt is doing ; The CAG, the media has been gagged, NSSO been gagged, the Election commission and CBI and ED being misused to coerce the dissenting voices, there is One and only one group left which has people with high integrity and honesty and i.e BJP and its associated partners.

The power of boycott therefore, remains a potent tool and is still valid, the British were brought down to knees because WE LEARNT THE POWER OF BOYCOTT.

Can the Opposition, take a leaf out of our history and BOYCOTT these elections. During the course of our freedom struggle many political parties including the Congress, did boycott elections a few times.

The Govt is required to provide a level playing field to contest elections, but if it hell bent not to do so, then just BOYCOTT. 

Go full throttle to the people to tell them WHY YOU ARE BOYCOTTING. 

Let BJP field its candidates and win all 543 seats , let them fill the lok sabha and Rajya sabha with all its members.

Let them run the race alone.

They will still not be able to govern India effectively. It is a fallacy, a mistaken belief, that a Nation as big as ours can be better run if there is NO OPPOSITION and No Dissenting voice left in Lok sabha and RS.

They will then be not able to get away by blaming the previous govts and leaders for all the problems and it will also help the opposition to cleanse its own house. 

The people also who have been mesmerised and indoctrinated will also come to realise that their welfare is not in temples but in democracy. It is through collective action and nonviolent resistance that the people can reclaim their voice and shape the future of the nation.

With Malaise towards None ; One can not sell the same old wine in the new bottle.

The recent election results have proven that the current crop of political leaders in opposition are no match to Mr Modi.

When Rahul Gandhi, a year ago, undertook the Bharat Jodo march of 4000 km, I had then written that this excercise is not likely to serve any purpose, as Congress is trying to sell the “Same old wine in a new bottle”.

Rather, the entire opposition combinedly is the proverbial ; OLD WINE , that keeps inventing newer ways to resell itself in a NEW BOTTLE.

They signify, all that is bad with Indian Politics – Casteism, appeasement, misgovernance, dynastic rule, One man/One woman party and so on. These forces cannot challenge Mr Modi as they stand for what ails the Indian democracy.

People drive their vehicle looking ahead and not through the rear view mirror.

If even after 20 years of rule, Congress has failed to defeat BJP in MP, it means; Congress has failed to enthuse the people, despite all the prevailing corruption and has nothing NEW to offer to the people.

It is not possible for the current opposition leadership to usurp Mr Modi. Although, there are numerous issues related to misgovernance; Money wasted on Swaacch bharat, Corruption in Ayushman Bharat, huge subsidies, Jobless growth, demonetisation, Environmental disaster in Uttarakhand, Price rise and so on but then Mr Modi has his own achievements as well, which cannot be undermined.

A decade ago, people used to say that Indians are hugely divided along all possible lines but I always felt, when a good leader is able to strike a chord with people, the inherent divisions may not disappear but they become insignificant, for variety of reasons. This is exactly what had happened, in 1920s after Gandhiji appeared in the political arena. And this is what we are witnessing now. The inherent divisions have not disappeared but they have become insignificant, as of now.

Hence, unless, there is some leader who is as good, as credible as Mr Modi, or Hindutva agenda pushes society on the brink of civil war, people are not going to dig their own grave by bringing in an INEFFICIENT LEADER to replace Mr Modi.