PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI exuded confidence while speaking on the 'Motion of Thanks' for the president's address recently in Parliament. He said the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance would cross their past majorities, and that his party would win 370 seats of the likely NDA tally of 400. The miscalculations of the Congress and its inability to bring together the INDIA bloc could well presage a long period of uninterrupted BJP rule and the breakup of the Congress.
Back in 2004, I saw the massive 'India Shining' campaign of the Vajpayee government from the Alpine heights of Geneva, and its collapse. Of course, that campaign would pale into insignificance beside the gaudy G20 glitz, the sengol veneration and the opulent Ram Mandir. The election results will show whether the lowest quarter of our population is impressed by this chutzpah. But what next?
The home minister has already announced that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will become a reality before the election. Aadhaar cards may have to come in two colours-one for the citizens and the other for the rest. Or else, a separate citizenship card may have to be introduced. The Uniform Civil Code may be introduced across the country, creating tension in some areas.
The delimitation of parliamentary constituencies will occur in 2026, based on the postponed 2021 census, resulting in a shift in political balance between states. The states that have faithfully followed policies initiated by the government for family planning will stand to lose political power. Once more, language issues may arise; there could be efforts to strengthen the use of Hindi, thus reducing the national presence of non-Hindi-speaking people.
Denne historien er fra March 03, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 03, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
