Notes from a year of unease

Excellent study material for all civil services aspirants - begin learning - Kar ke dikhayenge!

Notes from a year of unease

---

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

---

• The Year 2020: The year hit everyone hard, and India too now has its own set of problems to resolve, in the coming days. Year 2021 should not become a wasted year at all.
• List of problems, and analysis:

1. Covid threat: The pandemic hit more than 1 crore Indian directly (minimum), and killed 1.5 lakh. Even vaccines may not change the sense of fatalism gripping Indians today. 
2. An aggressive China at the LAC border complicated Indian foreign policy response in a big way. The border is still live, and no end is in sight (as per the Defence Minister). 
3. Internal violence didn't abate, and Naxalite violene as well as J&K violence made news. Resentment continues, post Art.370 abrogation. 
4. Centre - State relations are at their nadir, in case of opposition-ruled states. 
5. Engineering defections from one party to another has almost become the official policy, killing democracy at its roots. 
6. The Parliament is hardly debating the biggest of issues, as it should, and even sessions are being scrapped (Winter session, 2020).
7. Economic recession is deep and recovery is tough.
8. India is slipping on various indices steadily - human freedom, human development, economic freedom, etc.
9. New laws on Love Jihad have raised hackles as they will polarise the society even more deeply
10. Farmers' agitation came up finally, in response to lack of consultations with farming groups prior to legislating changes (govt. accepted in RTI that it didn't consult anyone)

• So what next: Taken in totality, 2021 won't be easy. The three success of Modi regime can be listed as 

1. Constant election victories
2. Personal popularity of the PM
3. Absence of serious competition on national stage
4. Hence, the BJP is able to make whatever changes it deems necessary, e.g. farming laws. But if it thinks it only makes the right decisions, and need not take everyone along, that would be a mistake. 

• Emotional versus Real: The emotional connect is strong and successful. But real challenges aren't being resolved, and that's where focus needs to be now. A totally new approach is now needed if India wants to bounce back in a big way. Tangible outcomes are needed. 
• Possible outcomes and approaches:

1. Foreign policy - India may need to hold China where it is, on the LAC. Other neighbours are now playing China against India, and if India wants to be seen as the only nation in Asia that can stand upto China, this must be reversed. Only critical statements won't work, action will.
2. Economic situation - Claims of rebound are being made, but competitive advantage of India vis-a-vis others has to be restored. Imports substitution isn't good strategy and will force India to focus inward rather than outward, while India really needs a strong export focus.
3. Diversity of India - The biggest defining feature of India is its diversity, and if that is not leveraged, we miss it all.
4. Job creation for youth - India's most abiding asset, its youth, need support. Industrial jobs must be created now. Stimulating demand helps.
5. Restoring constitutional proprieties - The govt. must reinforce values enshrined in the Constitution, and the stealthy undermining of opposition must end. The goal cannot be a Single Party rule over entire India.

• Summary: The union is held together delicately by trust between Centre and States. The rise and rise of digital technology, and the near total control on individual data that corporates, and now the government, has begun exercising, does not bode well for liberties. Restore the fundamental confidence, and India will surely bounce back.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

Join UPSC Self Prep course | Online Course (PT Gurukul)  | Covid Special Course | Join PT courses

* Content sourced from free internet sources (publications, PIB site, international sites, etc.). Take your own subscriptions. Copyrights acknowledged.