Widely prevailing perception/experience: Government is in total lock down mode when it comes to suggestions on economy or tax policy.
Widely perceived/believed cause of criticism/concern: In a situation where practically there is total absence of constitutional opposition, it is but natural that democracy is auto balancing itself with criticism directly from citizens on mistakes perceived to be made by the Government and/or absolute absence of clarity-communication on vision/direction with respect to a lot of policies.
Undisputed: This criticism/concern in democracy is healthy and important. It should not matter too much whether it is coming from constitutional opposition, common citizens or ‘supporter’/’amicable to political ideology’ citizens.
Clarity amongst citizens: There is no dispute even in mind of political opposition (public admission unexpected of course) that what is being delivered at grass-root level on social schemes front, has never been done with this sincerity, clarity and effectively in past 70 years. It is tangible. It can be seen. First hand accounts can be obtained. With respect to electoral politics, new vote banks are being sought to be created. BJP as one of the fastest expanding political party has maintained focus on that too. Both these remain beyond doubt, can be experienced, discussed to satisfaction and not up for debate at all.
Also, in my view it is premature yet to trigger ‘sing glory’ of social good being done by the Government on scale and build-up of 2013-14 level. BJP is ruling party now. It has a lot more at stake today. Such social good, however sincerely done by any political party, always enjoys a small shelf life and will peak out a little too soon. Singing glories in chorus should be timed with election planning.
The Current Debate:
Should Political Leadership take a note that current narrative/debate has gone beyond justification of its actions on economic and tax policies?
Is there anything to be discussed, debated, engage-with-citizens on vision and direction of economy and tax policies by political leadership at all?
Is it enough to throw some data and statistics on collections, GDP numbers, etc, some burst of black money/tax raid news, share some happy infographics on social media, et al to ally concerns/satisfy sentiments?
In my view, today, it is now all about inconvenience to knee-jerk-structural-changes in general and also real pain in certain sectors/section of economy due to Governments’ economic and tax policies or lack of expected quality in it or lack of willingness to make corrections to bring quality satisfaction or lack of willingness to listen to suggestions flowing from all directions to make corrections to bring quality satisfaction. These are wide, geographically spread sentiments. It is uncontrollable phenomenon. 2014 election result itself was an uncontrollable phenomenon. This too takes similar colour.
There is also fear mongering going on. Keep quiet and only praise/put-out-only-positives. Else 2019 re-election is in danger. Well irrespective whether it is said out loud or not, political opposition only seems to be taping the sentiments brewing on ground. I insist on word ‘taping’ – political opposition has yet shown remarkable restrain from fanning these sentiments. It, of course, will want to wait out till tentative general elections dates are clear.
The negative today is the social media behaviour of bullying, credibility assassination, demeaning people by calling them anti-Modi, anti-BJP, you deserve to be ruled by likes of Sonia, Mulayam, Mayavati, you and your ilk were root cause of 2004 defeat, et al – such remarks will only alienate people further. We all see this happening amongst supporters of BJP and amicable people. I feel, one reason for such pettiness is because political leadership – both from Government and Party are too focused on their priorities – priorities which only few know. This ‘addressing the audience’ works for both classes of political supporters – those who do not believe in public criticism of government or party and those who believe criticism is healthy. Effort or visibility of effort in the direction is lacking. Hence people are taking it on their own and acting independently based on their points of view. No one is to be blamed here, least not the supporters and amicable people for their views in public space.
It seems all are at cusp where it is neither possible to justify confidently nor possible to doubt confidently due to absence of clarity-communication of vision plan / direction in which nation is moving. Like peak-out of ‘aache din’, even ‘India-poised-to-become-global-super-power’ too would peak-out soon – sentimentally of course.
It is now all about choice political leadership makes. Engage and address citizens’ sentiments or continue with agenda which nobody has any good clarity (not doubting intent).
I sincerely believe in last one eventful year, Government has received enough suggestions/solution guidances – awful to awesome – and in as much quantity to last a century.
Also, even if political leadership chooses to ignore content of criticism/suggestions, it would be difficult to ignore disappointment – feeling of ‘no one is listening to difficulties in economy and taxation which is impacting us’. Again slapping people on social media with comments like ‘Did earlier Congress government ever listen?’ would only work counter productive. That is infact the precise difference which was promised and widely played – we are open, we do listen.
Does Government listen? Of course it does. If one cleans up an entire street or gives a social entrepreneurship idea – it does note and may even adopt the idea. But economy or tax policy. Tough call.