The lack of controversy since Modi government took over is stunning. There is literally nothing that is worth mentioning here. Granted, the opposition is decimated to the core and is completely voiceless. But Media is not and we all know how deafening these media crooks (aka Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagarika Ghosh et al. ) can get. Yet, even they couldn't find muck to throw at Modi and his government. It is hard to believe especially when the last government was so infested with anti-government, anti-national types elements that media was getting news without even doing the show of reporting. The Manmohan government was like bunch of steel utensils stuffed in a a sack. Useless and constantly making noise. Anyways, coming back to Modi government, I think the lack of controversies is not surprising at all. It is a all together different paradigm unfolding right in front of us. I am not saying I could have predicted such lack of controversies when Modi took over the helm. But if one thing that can be said about Mod is this, the status-quo won't be maintained for most purposes. Old vestiges will be dismantled and corrupt fat of cronies and hangers will be surgically removed and moreover, governance will be implemented as it should be. The last point, and I will elaborate on it later with few telling examples, is by far the most important aspect that will define the next decade as the one where India will actually come close to attain its illusory potential.
Modi is not what Media portrays. He is not what people who claim to read the tea-leaves thinks he is. He is much better and much smarter. The biggest difference is, after more than 20 years, India finally has a shrewd politician at the helm. Apart from Indira Gandhi I think only P.V. Narasimharao qualifies as a true politician. Vajapayee ji was a great orator and a visionary and he definitely understood politics too. However, he was too much of a gentleman. Modi knows how to play politics, how to checkmate opposition and when to pick up fight. He has weathered too many storms. And most importantly given his lack of family attachments, he literally has nothing to lose.
The Media boomerang:
It was interesting to see how media crooks are completely surprised or at least feigning surprise at lack of accessibility to Modi government. Now, I know Manmohan didn't speak with media often but then that dude didn't speak at all! May be Modi is angry at media since he media virtually convicted and crucified of the crime that he did not commit but that will be trivial reason for Modi to shun media. He is a pragmatic man. He understands the power of Media and knows he cannot openly wage war against them. So he first picked and chose the media outlets he would talk to during the election campaign. Interviews and access was given individual journalists and regional news channels. He purposefully shunned people like Barkha Dutt and Rajdeep Sardesai - you know, the god-complex journalists. And second, he became a media house himself. He became his own propaganda machine. He is very active both on Twitter and Facebook. I have 'Liked' his FB page, where he posts sort of personalized pictures of himself in the middle of doing various things. For example, it was heartening to see him getting welcomed so enthusiastically in Japan from his Japan Album on his FB page. Now, one can argue that this can all be a big show but what is inarguable is that folks don't need media outlets to get news on Modi. They can get it from Modi himself. Just as in recently concluded general elections, Modi's direct communication with people will play pivotal role in shaping the image of him and his government in coming few years.
Media thought that they have golden keys to create and destroy public image of politicians. And they have wielded this power enormously over last twenty years and never so negatively and obsessively as against Modi. For now at least these media houses are floored in their own game.
The Radical Maverick?:
Modi is neither radical, nor maverick. The only way to describe him is pragmatic. For example, any sane person would take the treatment US mated out to him personally. But Modi didn't. In fact, he has scored bunch of brownie points over US even before visiting them by making all correct statements. He knows that he is a PM of a country and he cannot let personal feelings and insults hinder him from serving the interest of our nation. Similarly, the economic rejuvenation was not an overnight task. So the budget pretty much stayed the same as Manmohan government. However, the key difference was the emphasize on quick decisions and focus on implementation. There is absolutely no need to reinvent the wheel as far as the financial and economic reforms are concerned. Scores of committees appointed by past government has laid down what needs to be done. There needs to be political will and fortitude to implement the reforms. I think that's why the big ticket items that many people expected didn't happen in first 100 days. Reforms has to be slow and existing infrastructure and bureaucracy has to be utilized to implement these reforms rather inventing new mechanism. Remember just because Modi is elected doesn't mean the famed babudom of India will certainly become efficient. It will be a slow process. So many things has to be done on so many fronts that everything cannot happen at the same time. So far we have judicial reforms already underway along with some part of labor reforms. The government administrative reforms have started with abolition of time-wasting attestation requirements. These steps, though not news headline worthy, are building blocks for bigger things to come. Plus, all this is to be done keeping election politics in mind. Remember there is no brownie point for being a great PM but not getting elected in the next term. So, some compromise in short-term will have to be there to ensure vote bank stays with Modi. In short, instead of watching each and every wheel of the clock, it will pay to see the bigger picture. The clock has started ticking after long time and it will move only forward this time.
