Dear, Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,
It’s been two years since you became the Prime Minister of India. I take immense pride in voting for you, quite literally as well, since I hail from Vadodara. I distinctly remember that palpable sense of euphoria which engulfed the polling booth, symbolic of a fairy-tale outcome about to turn into reality. I could easily make out that most of us were there to press that button on the EVM against your name, and so we did.
When the results started to pour in on 16th May 2014, we were glued to our TV sets just like an Indo-Pak cricket thriller. Soon, the air which was filled with nervous energy in the morning paved the way for a powerful Modi wave that not only swept the elections but also instilled a sense of hope & belonging, because this was our own contribution towards nation building. Back then, I was a frustrated Indian, frustrated with the way the government of that day worked, frustrated with the multitude of scams hitting the headlines day after day, frustrated with the way things were going on in the country. Two years down the line, I don’t regret my decision one single bit, rather I am proud to have voted for you and will continue to do so. But, I am still frustrated.
I am frustrated dear Modi ji because those dynastic slaves & their masters who looted this country for the past 60 years are still fairly untouched, running smear campaigns from their regal government bungalows, even while not being in power. Ranging from 2G to Coalgate, from Ishrat Jahan to AgustaWestland & from DLF-Vadra to National Herald, Congress party boasts of probably every possible scam that could be carried out by any government. The dream of a ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ might still become a reality, but, that is not at all enough. The scamsters are needed to be put behind bars & punished for crippling the crores of Indians with their unbridled hunger for power. We voted for you, Sir, to see the picture of a handcuffed Sonia Gandhi in the morning newspaper. Instead, we see her leading senseless marches to Parliament. And the worst thing is that, people no longer expect that from you!!
I am frustrated dear Modi ji because your government loses out on the perception battle, every single time. Government initiatives have been top notch, public schemes have been impressive & economic reforms have been revolutionary to say the least, which is also reflected in the macro-economic data released every now and then.
Still, there is a sense of negativity engulfing the nation, perpetrated by the power-hungry politicians & paid media houses and ably supported by a weak communication mechanism and hotheads who occupy more media coverage with their acerbic comments rather than ministers with their development agenda. When the entire world is showering heaps of praises on you and your government, Sir, the common man, ignorant and indifferent to the ever-lasting impact your foreign visits have made, has fallen prey to the false, manufactured perceptions such as the ‘Suit Boot Ki Sarkar’ and others.
Watching TV debates, my blood boils on seeing the politicians & journalists meddle lies & spread false propaganda in front of your inept spokespersons who fail to defend the government, let alone spread its development agenda. While the social media supporters are leaving no stone unturned in spreading the positive news and expose biased journalism, bon homie of your own ministers with the same journalists makes them look credible in the eyes of people, and the entire social campaign exposing media hit-jobs bites the dust in one go. The reforms need to hit the people in their head before they hit the ground!!
I am frustrated dear Modi ji, because I am not able to defend your government in the face of an aspirational Indian who expects you to be a magician, because your party-men made them believe so.
I have been a vocal supporter of BJP since long, sharing its activities and trying to educate people of the fabulous efforts that the government has been putting to make India a superpower which it is so destined to be. I understand that the revolution cannot take place overnight, and India is well on its way to reaching that goal in the years to come. But, the common man expects that to happen in a fortnight, because your party promised them so. Haters have started to support you, because they didn’t expect you to perform so well. But the rhetorics have blinded your supporters from the pleasing reality. If Congress could give them a cycle, you’ve given them a Maruti 800, but they are dejected because they expected a Ferrari. No one expected Railways to respond immediately with one tweet during Congress, but now if your government claims to be so perfect then they have to make sure that every tweet gets answered. It is perfectly alright if ‘ache din’ takes 10 years, but promising to achieve that in an over-ambitious 3 will only lead to resentment. People should be shown the real picture, which in itself is bright. Showing them utopia can lead to serious repercussions.
Dear Modi ji, Working 18 hours a day, without a single holiday for the past two years is no mean achievement. Successfully leading a country of 1.3 billion people requires a herculean effort. It requires the support and co-ordination of all citizens. However frustrated we might be, our love for nation will never diminish and so will our support for you, dear Prime Minister.