Rise and rise of Modi

.(This article was published in Youth Ki Awaaz at http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2014/04/understanding-rise-rise-narendra-modi/ )

Rise from ashes makes you larger than what you are. We all survive in this world but remain mere mortals unlike Krishna who is loved as a God since he had survived the tyrannical onslaught of Kansa, Jesus is what he is also because he is believed to have come alive after crucification, Rama is worshipped because he could glorify the toughest phase of his life during his period of exile. Psychologically we get attracted towards the one who rises against all odds. We get awestruck with the unexpected performance of an underdog. 

Any normal mortal could not have survived the onslaught that Modi was subjected to. Not only he was banged and hanged several times by the entire media inside and outside this country but he was also thrashed by the well meaning intelligentsia, academicians, thinkers and politicians all across the political shades and boundaries including even BJP. That he could barely manage to retain his post of CM after the Gujarat riots against the comfort of many of his own party-men is no secret. But what goes entirely to his credit is that he put his head down to work out on a no nonsense strategy that has now sprang him up with a larger than life image.

We were used to identify him solely as an icon of communal politics. He was effectively considered as synonym to communal hatred and believe me, this kind of image in India has the ability to burry any Indian politician's career into a deep grave and with certainty squeezes his area of influence to marginal levels. Indians are secular not because our constitution says so, we do not ascribe to secular ideology because we do not have another option to choose from but it is a largely accepted reality that apart from a few religions that find their origin elsewhere, all Indian religions are patently, inherently and overwhelmingly secular. It also goes without saying that even those religions who find their origins as other than Indian also understand the greatness and necessity of being secular and use their Indian instinct to dig out and highlight this aspect of their religion to enhance and establish their secular credentials. 

Crisis before the then politically untouchable Modi was to establish himself as acceptable first and then to become adorable. To his credit, he did this in reverse. He achieved this by showcasing his unprecedented administrative and governance skills to establish himself as a man of development and a no nonsense go-getter. He outsmarted his adversaries who kept themselves engaged entirely into making him a communal icon and instead of reacting to them he left no stone unturned to rise to this stature. It was not easy to do this. But to our surprise, he has done that. When the other BJP biggies were just waiting for an inevitable anti-incumbency factor to grow against the ruling congress to cash in, it was Modi who kept working on improving the key figures of visible comparison indicators to surprise everyone of us with tables. When the mass is disappointed and disgusted with the performance of the government at the centre, he has provided them the hope that they were hopelessly looking for. And that is precisely why unlike AAP who sold only dreams to the voters Modi's promises look achievable to them. For the voters at large now Modi symbolizes achievable hope. 

Modi has not only successfully established his Gujarat model as - Development without Appeasement but has also shown that he can deliver against all odds.

The AAP phenomena

Why shouldn't we celebrate for getting our power tariff reduced by half and why shouldn't we rejoice for getting water for free? So what if these are being implemented using the taxpayers money. After all isn't that one of the reasons for which the rich are generally taxed? And if it was not meant for that then it was also not for getting this money syphoned out through scams by the scamsters year after year for 65 years altogether? Even if this is a 'loot', shouldn't this be encouraged as the benefit this way, at least, is being handed over to a large number of needy people and it is anyway much better than giving scope to just a few select who were/are looting the taxpayers money entirely for individual gains. After witnessing the uncontrolled and rampant corruption of an unimaginable scale shouldn't it be easy for us to find some logic and an acceptable level of sense in these arguments and anti-reasons? If they can loot why can't we? This is exactly the feeling that is exploding in a congenial atmosphere using the AAP's activism that has caught the imagination of the angry 'young' Aam Admi of India. It comes with no surprise for me that AAP's think tank is finding some kind of resonance with the naxal-activism-cum-terrorism too.

But who is a Aam Admi? Is he rich or he is only poor? AAP seems to have redefined this term. According to AAP, aam admi is the person who needs to pay to get things done in India. It is indeed hopelessly true as Khas Admi, more often than not, do not need to pay anything for which we are asked to pay a bribe. Unfortunately on the other hand, in India the disease of 'corruption' is mutated to such an extent that even those have started feeling its pinch who are used to paying bribe for getting things done in their favour. Here, I am reminded of what Kejriwal said in his historical speech in Ramlila maidan where he took oath for CM. He asked everyone not to pay or take bribe and urged everybody to set the corrupts right by putting them behind bars as 'he would get their work done for free'. Now this bothers me. I want my son to get admission in a school and the school wants money. I can become instrumental in booking the person who asked money for this but for Arvind's sake can anybody help me in understanding as to how would Arvind get my ward admitted. I want a birth certificate for my son to make him a year younger as he is otherwise ineligible for admissions in the nursery classes. I am asked to pay a bribe for getting this done. Now if I help Arvind in grabbing him how the hell Arvind is going to supply that fake certificate for me. I have occupied a government land and have built a house on that. An MCD or a Police personal comes knocking my door saying that if I don't pay him he would demolish my house. Now if I help Arvind in catching this person red handed how will he help me in owning the government land. I need to get a driver's license but I am not an expert driver. A tout contacts me to help me out in return of some money. Now if I get him nabbed who would ensure that I would pass the written test for the driver's license. The list is unending. Even for a regular and legally correct work in a government office that takes a month's time normally how would Arvind ensure that I get it done early if I choose to book the person who was offering me an early service in return to some cash.

The rich have spoilt themselves by getting anything done with the power of money but the Aam Admi among them now aspire to become a Khas Aadmi and hope to retain the same privileges but without having to pay any money for the same. On the other hand, the poor have developed a burning desire to grab these privileges without paying any money. These aspiration-fantasy has been further aroused by AAP's attitude. Now, Kejriwal needs to handle this efficiently. But it seems that he is in a habit of arousing public anger without knowing how to handle/utilize it in a positive manner. He seems to be a master of creating chaos. This was evident at his Janta Darbar and his oath taking ceremony. He is least bothered about those who have a responsibility to secure a CM's life. He is least bothered about creating a space at his residence for his interactions with the public. He is least bothered about the source of finances and is focusing only on how to spend it. He has no plan and vision for development but is overflowing with unimplementable ideas. His idea of holding a Janta Darbar, of throwing open the corridors of assembly for public and terrorists alike and of expecting his ministers to deliver without utilizing a government vehicle and residence are all failing in practical tests. He must find the missing link between a political activist and a political post holder to deliver at this stage.

The complete scenario reminds me of an incident wherein it was reported that an eve-teaser was lynched to death by a mob. If you are fresh with an incident where an eve-teaser had thrown a victim out of a running train then you would also be able to justify mob-lynching to death. AAP movement resembles mob lynching. It does give a kind of satisfaction temporarily. But what do you achieve in this process? Did the lynching ensure them an eve-teaser free society? No....sorry – it made everyone in the mob a criminal. But when you feel agitated to the hilt you enjoy the act of lynching and this explains the explosion of AAP's sphere of influence but who is to be blamed for this ---- undoubtedly the traditional parties who are yet to learn from their over-aggressive anti-poor and unresponsive policies. Arvind has never shown any ability to provide a good administration in his life despite many opportunities that he had and I am sure, Arvind will again expose himself hollow as a bad administrator but his job will be over if he can force others to learn a lesson or two from the phenomena that he has successfully showcased till now.

Instead of looking back can we move ahead?

Just as, a mindless step taken without proper thinking and discussion is a wrong move, ‘rollback’ can never be accepted as a progressive move either. And a rollback to what? Do we mean a rollback to the Semester System? We must not forget that though DUTA could never come out with any unanimous opinion about FYUP, it is on record to have opposed to the Semester System. Are we just choosing the lesser evil or we want to match with the ego of our University Authorities? As expected and as warned by us the examination system could not look for cover when it attempted to organize the very first Semester Examinations. The examination system that had nearly collapsed initially with the introduction of the Semester system is now showing a slow but sure improvement year by year and semester by semester. What would have been appreciated by all was if the examination process was computerized first and we were made comfortable with the new system before adopting the Semester System. One of the major apprehensions would have had been taken care of if we would have been shown first that it is possible to publish an error-free result within a month of the completion of examinations before thinking of moving towards Semesterisation.

As only we face the students directly, teachers concern have always remained about the standards that we are supposed to deliver to the students. A compromise in this puts us off. With the introduction of FYUP we feel that we have been forced to compromise further on the quality of product that we are expected to meet. This time, and unlike Semesterisation when we were only expected to adopt a bi-annual examination system, FYUP dares to change the way we look at the education in India. This change that required a change in attitude and purpose of teaching should have not been done in hurried manner. The more time that we would have given for its preparation the better we could have been placed right now. Forget about convincing the teachers as to what is the correct approach towards education, teachers are still looking for reasons to teach students in a manner that is required in FYUP. Why on earth we need to teach ‘mathematical ability’ to the students of B.Sc.(H)Maths ---- or why do we need to teach basic history to the students of B.A.(H) History ---- teachers do not have any clue. Teachers are only searching for the missing UK connection in the FC papers. I must admit that while teaching a few of the FC papers I personally do see some positives in interacting with students of varied background but I am still learning to utilize this opportunity for mutual benefit in the absence of any pre-identified purpose behind this adopted methodology.

However is there a way ahead or only another fall behind? Disasters can never be rolled back. It will leave scars on the students' future who were subjected to study FYUP. Let us not make another mistake of doing something without analyzing the present situation. Can we think of listing the deficiencies that exist in the current FYUP structure and syllabi? Let us first allow the list to be as exhaustive as possible? If the list does not have infinite items then can we try identifying some of them as major drawbacks? To list a few of these as examples I place the following points.

•            No value addition despite consumption of an additional year.
• ·         Undue and unjustified importance attributed to the Foundation Courses.
• ·         Less attention given to the respective discipline papers.

Can't we think of suggesting a prescription to the University that would effectively address these alongwith other major problems that would eventually provide an immediate and much needed respite to the teachers and students or we would just like to insist only on a ‘rollback’?

Four –Year Disaster Management Programme

     And I wished that the four-Year Programme will not be implemented! But I had no basis for such an expectation. Mr. Arun Jaitley had expressed his fear in the speech that he delivered in the NDTF organized seminar on the Education Policy last year where he asked us to be alert as the fresh attempts of the present government at opening up FDIs in the consumer market segment was definitely going to be the last nail in the coffin for the Indian manufacturing and other such indigenous technologically high-end sectors. He had concluded that there was every possibility of India getting converting into a 'country of salespersons'. A country of salespersons meaning thereby that this country will become a place where you would no longer require persons with great technical skills and instead you would require persons with a reasonable level of communication and presentation skills, having some mathematical ability, who have working knowledge Indian history and Geography, a little exposure to science, technical gadgets and philosophy and have an ability to keep peace with their mind, body and heart so that they can feel satisfied even if they are unreasonably asked to show performance disregarding the amount of effort they put to achieve a target. A place where the manufacturing units are facing closure and only real estate and Mall-culture is kicking up its business, why the hell one would need accomplished persons with great thinking ability, deep understanding of issues and/or sound technical skills? These kinds of persons are required only in developed countries.

       In view of the above requirement, this country needed an educational policy that on one hand would encourage good students to go to a developed country (read US) and on the other hand to encourage others to develop the above-mentioned soft-skills and become drop outs as they would be required in our country to fill the appetite of our service sectors that is bound to see an explosion. Delhi University came ahead with a structure that fits exactly into this requirement. The structure indeed will slowly but surely discourage serious students from choosing Delhi University as the new structure will not offer what they would be looking for. These students will be disappointed to see that their favorite discipline is going to occupy them only for one-third of their class-time. Realizing their mistake they would start looking for other private institutions where they are not likely to waste studying for so many disorientation-generating Foundation Courses. On the other hand, those who would enjoy studying Foundation Courses will develop fear for the last two years of discipline-oriented courses and will eventually exit the course to fall for lower-level job openings where they would realize their mistake of leaving their studies only after a decade but that too only if they were not good at grasping the lessons taught during the course named as “Integrating Mind, Body and Heart”. Only those who have nothing else to do would opt for continuing their studies. It is exactly the same overwhelming set of students that take admissions in the government schools. This prescription is perfect for converting our University with some excellence into the Government school culture where teachers are kept busy with election-duties, census-works, mid-day meal arrangements and organizing functions for felicitating local/non-local political leaders. Students who are serious have no options but to go for private institutions. I just wish that this effort of Delhi University in developing a course especially for drop-outs is successful in reversing the existing trend of students opting for the Delhi University courses over many better degrees offered by private institutes running B.Tech./B.E./M.B.A./B.B.A/M.C.A./B.C.A. and other such higher-level job-oriented courses otherwise the University will be forced to take further such regressive steps! With requirements stated as above our education system that otherwise and urgently needed a change for better could not attempt at improving the quality of education to the set of students that choose to study in Delhi University.

        The effect of the steps taken by Delhi University is that the University is already moved into a disaster-management mode. After witnessing the non-responsive character of the University during the anti-semester struggle, the moment our present Vice-Chancellor revealed his intention of implementing a Four-Year-Programme, the University moved into this phase. The ‘task force’ got engaged in an exercise to minimize the after-effects of this time-bound (non-avertable) disaster. Originally, the proposal was to have one year of discipline-free course-structure but it was probably dropped only when the members of the ‘task force’ threw their towel down to make their point. The ‘task force’ was left essentially to suggest ways to control the damage as they had no authority to question the structure as they say - that the structure was an outcome of a three-day seminar wherein there exists no record of any discussion on the proposed structure in any of its sessions.

         We know that the teachers can only be asked to prepare for the eighteen-odd lectures that they are supposed to deliver in a week, but they raise doubts only when they see a danger of delivering lectures to a non-receptive bunch of students or they fear to witness a nightmare of facing dissatisfied lot students who are otherwise interested in studies.

      I am now preparing myself for facing the disaster as the University also has started enforcing frequent last-minute fine-tuning into the structures and their assessment on the infrastructure requirements that often exhibits their ever-growing panic level. However, despite the unexpected show of interest by the government, I am sure that we are not likely to get any respite as they are now in a win-win situation wherein for the first time they would not be blamed for the disaster. They are in such an enviable position that they are able to take an unprecedented stand of not resorting to interfere into the University’s autonomy (as if they have never interfered!). The Government is preferring to ‘enjoy’ through its ‘Dhritarashtra eye’ that has no fear of witnessing the arrival of a ‘Krishna’ this time as the University is continuously engaged in trying to pull off the sari of our Education system.