Six defining changes in India
13 Oct 2012 10:36 PM GMT
These have been truly turbulent years. So much has happened over the last six years that it would require many multiple books to chronicle contemporary history. I do not write history books, and yet, I have identified six major and defining trends of the last few years that will have a lasting impact on India for at least another decade. In no order of preference, here is the list:
GOOD GOVERNANCE GETS PRO-INCUMBENCY VERDICTS
In 2005, Nitish Kumar narrowly failed to achieve his dream of becoming the Bihar chief minister. In 2006, Nitish Kumar won a decisive verdict. In 2011, he won an even more decisive verdict. Ditto for Narendra Modi. Barring a miracle for the Congress, Modi is all set to win Gujarat for the 3rd successive time. Sheila Dixit and Naveen Patnaik have already won three successive elections in Delhi and Odisha respectively. I really don’t need to add more. If the voter thinks you are delivering decent governance, you have her support.
THE HIGH AND MIGHTY ARE GOING BEHIND BARS
In 2006, there was mounting anger against the manner in which the alleged killers of Priyadarshini Mattoo, Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara were using their proximity to power and privileges to get away scot free. Within a few days, Santosh Singh, Manu Sharma and Vikas Yadav were all convicted to life sentences due to activists and the media launching non-stop campaigns against them. Since then, many formidable strongmen have been arrested or convicted – from Mohammad Shahabuddin to Amarmani Tripathi, from the avalanche of arrests in the 2G scam to those during the Commonwealth game scam. The last six years have perhaps made the high and mighty realise that they can actually go behind bars, no matter now much money they have and what
connections they flaunt.
A COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION HAS TRANSFORMED INDIA
The media was full of stories about the hurdles India was facing in achieving a target of 200 million mobile phone subscribers. How silly that looks in hindsight! We now have more than 900 million mobile connections. From cycle-rickshaw pullers to plumbers to tailors to small farmers to pushcart vendors, the mobile phone has become a powerful tool of empowerment and enhanced economic opportunities; something that the Internet also will do in the coming years. Let millions of new mutinies be spread through millions of mobile phones and Internet connections!
CRONY CAPITALISM HAS INTENSIFIED
Barring a few honourable exceptions, virtually all the Indian billionaires have been what I usually call blood billionaires. They have not created world-class products; they have mostly used their access to the state to grab land, spectrum, forests, mines, projects, PIL and gas fields and much more to plunder the country. The 2G scam at 1.76 lakh cores represents crony capitalism at its worst. As does the now unravelling coal-gate scam. As did the monumental fraud perpetrated on Indian citizens through the so called SEZ schemes. Any way you look at it, crony capitalism has been the biggest blight to plague India in the last years. And sadly, I don’t see it vanishing in the next few years.
THE DYNASTY DEBATE IS CLOSED
United Progressive Alliance won a historic mandate in May 2009. Quite simply, dynasties are here to stay in India in the foreseeable future. Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Omar Abdullah... the dynastic successor list is endless when it comes to the political class. A recent analysis indicated that almost every Lok Sabha MP of the Congress under 35 years belongs to a political dynasty. While Bollywood, belonging to a dynasty doesn’t guarantee box office success, I don’t see something similar in Indian politics! That goes to show how shallow our so called electoral democracy actually is!
MEDIA IS A NECESSARY EVIL
The media has virtually exploded across the length and breadth of India in the last six years. Print, TV, Digital, radio, online, national, regional, local – you will find media flourishing across all platforms. Without an active media, there is every chance that the likes of Manu Sharma, Santosh Singh, Amarmani Tripathi and Maya Kodnani would not have faced judicial music.Of course, there can be no doubt that many misuse media platforms or peddle personal hatreds and prejudices and think nothing of abusing people and tarnishing their reputations.
Perhaps a more transparent, fair and effective implementation of libel and defamation laws will help here. But there is simply no denying it. You may love it or hate it; but you cannot ignore it. Like politicians, it is a necessary evil to be found in democracies!
Arindam Chaudhuri is a management guru and director of IIPM Think Tank.
GOOD GOVERNANCE GETS PRO-INCUMBENCY VERDICTS
In 2005, Nitish Kumar narrowly failed to achieve his dream of becoming the Bihar chief minister. In 2006, Nitish Kumar won a decisive verdict. In 2011, he won an even more decisive verdict. Ditto for Narendra Modi. Barring a miracle for the Congress, Modi is all set to win Gujarat for the 3rd successive time. Sheila Dixit and Naveen Patnaik have already won three successive elections in Delhi and Odisha respectively. I really don’t need to add more. If the voter thinks you are delivering decent governance, you have her support.
THE HIGH AND MIGHTY ARE GOING BEHIND BARS
In 2006, there was mounting anger against the manner in which the alleged killers of Priyadarshini Mattoo, Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara were using their proximity to power and privileges to get away scot free. Within a few days, Santosh Singh, Manu Sharma and Vikas Yadav were all convicted to life sentences due to activists and the media launching non-stop campaigns against them. Since then, many formidable strongmen have been arrested or convicted – from Mohammad Shahabuddin to Amarmani Tripathi, from the avalanche of arrests in the 2G scam to those during the Commonwealth game scam. The last six years have perhaps made the high and mighty realise that they can actually go behind bars, no matter now much money they have and what
connections they flaunt.
A COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION HAS TRANSFORMED INDIA
The media was full of stories about the hurdles India was facing in achieving a target of 200 million mobile phone subscribers. How silly that looks in hindsight! We now have more than 900 million mobile connections. From cycle-rickshaw pullers to plumbers to tailors to small farmers to pushcart vendors, the mobile phone has become a powerful tool of empowerment and enhanced economic opportunities; something that the Internet also will do in the coming years. Let millions of new mutinies be spread through millions of mobile phones and Internet connections!
CRONY CAPITALISM HAS INTENSIFIED
Barring a few honourable exceptions, virtually all the Indian billionaires have been what I usually call blood billionaires. They have not created world-class products; they have mostly used their access to the state to grab land, spectrum, forests, mines, projects, PIL and gas fields and much more to plunder the country. The 2G scam at 1.76 lakh cores represents crony capitalism at its worst. As does the now unravelling coal-gate scam. As did the monumental fraud perpetrated on Indian citizens through the so called SEZ schemes. Any way you look at it, crony capitalism has been the biggest blight to plague India in the last years. And sadly, I don’t see it vanishing in the next few years.
THE DYNASTY DEBATE IS CLOSED
United Progressive Alliance won a historic mandate in May 2009. Quite simply, dynasties are here to stay in India in the foreseeable future. Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Omar Abdullah... the dynastic successor list is endless when it comes to the political class. A recent analysis indicated that almost every Lok Sabha MP of the Congress under 35 years belongs to a political dynasty. While Bollywood, belonging to a dynasty doesn’t guarantee box office success, I don’t see something similar in Indian politics! That goes to show how shallow our so called electoral democracy actually is!
MEDIA IS A NECESSARY EVIL
The media has virtually exploded across the length and breadth of India in the last six years. Print, TV, Digital, radio, online, national, regional, local – you will find media flourishing across all platforms. Without an active media, there is every chance that the likes of Manu Sharma, Santosh Singh, Amarmani Tripathi and Maya Kodnani would not have faced judicial music.Of course, there can be no doubt that many misuse media platforms or peddle personal hatreds and prejudices and think nothing of abusing people and tarnishing their reputations.
Perhaps a more transparent, fair and effective implementation of libel and defamation laws will help here. But there is simply no denying it. You may love it or hate it; but you cannot ignore it. Like politicians, it is a necessary evil to be found in democracies!
Arindam Chaudhuri is a management guru and director of IIPM Think Tank.
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