We have to concede that three years since assuming office, one area where the Modi government has scored extremely high is image creation. It has been able to sell damaging moves like demonetisation as good for the country. While a section of the country lives under the spell of illusions propagated by the government, the rest of the population suffers due to increasing unemployment, a rise in prices of essential commodities and a steep fall in the standard of living. The health-care system has taken a further beating. Farmer suicides have gone up.
The fate of electoral promises is well-reflected in the government’s absolute failure on the front of job creation. After using the Ram Temple issue for polarisation in the ‘90s, the BJP is now using the ‘Holy Cow’ as a symbol of majoritarianism, leading to lynching of Dalits and Muslims. The social scene is dominated by illusory promises and issues related to identity. One recalls that under the UPA regime, the propaganda was much less and the major issues to be debated were related to the rights of the people to have food, education, health care and employment.
Mohd. Zeyaullah Khan,
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Nagpur