In his 1992 presidential campaign, Bill Clinton immortalised the line, “It’s the economy, stupid”. Does this work in Narendra Modi’s India?
In election after election, across democracies in the world, the line has been repeated. The transnational appeal of the idea was also understandable because James Carville, the famous political “consultant” who coined it for Clinton, also advised dozens of leaders across the world. A kind of globalised, American Prashant Kishor. And, whatever the language or idiom, the logic passed the test of time.
Or it did, until lately. For almost a quarter century, a leader who promised or delivered a better economy won, or was re-elected. In 2016, this was the promise that brought Donald Trump to power, as also Modi in 2014. But that seems to have changed worldwide now. Let’s look at India.
After Modi’s first two years, the economy has stalled, and then declined. The stall began with demonetisation in 2016-17. Lately, India has had at least 7 out of 8 quarters of growth decline. Negative growth is rightly blamed on the pandemic, but it isn’t as if this patient was in the pink of health before the virus struck. On almost every economic and even social indicator, India has been posting a decline. It shows in our crashing rankings on all key global indices.
Now, we know that Modi won power in 2014 on the promise of massive economic growth, jobs and development on the ‘Gujarat Model’. But barring, say, the first 24 months to some extent, he has never delivered on that promise.
If the concept of “It’s the economy, stupid” worked, he should not have swept the Uttar Pradesh elections of 2017. By that time, demonetisation had already deflated India’s economy; job losses, and trade, rural and farmer distress had set in. It didn’t bother anybody but his hapless opposition and marginalised editorialists like us.
By the summer of 2019, our economy had already been in a tailspin. Worse, joblessness was already reaching a high that would be alarming in a democracy. Some of the data was so embarrassing that the Modi government had to either hide it, rewrite it, or change the formula and produce friendlier data, as on GDP numbers. Every economic indicator had gone wrong except one: Inflation. And yet, Modi returned with a larger majority in that election.
It is still exactly a month before we will know what the voters decide in these five assembly elections. The numbers obviously won’t be what Amit Shah is counting after each phase in West Bengal. But whatever these are, one thing they won’t reflect is the state of India’s economy.
It will be the first year of negative — double-digit negative — growth in our independent history. And while this may be blamed on the pandemic, it destroyed so many lives, jobs and savings because it came on top of three lousy years. In normal politics, this would have made these elections a walkover for the opposition. They will be anything but that. Which will make us question that 1992 Clintonism.
Also read: Economic ideology is the new binary in Indian politics as Modi swerves Right & Rahul Left
So, what is it that works for Modi, if not the economy? Or, how does he keep winning in spite of the economy? The fact is, it isn’t an India-specific phenomenon. Donald Trump, whatever else was wrong with him, lost in spite of the economy being in a pretty good place. It helped him retain and increase his voters. But other considerations weighed on the minds of a larger number of voters. The issues of identity, colour and class, and the virus, for example. Biden’s promise wasn’t an economic boom.
At the other extreme is the Putin phenomenon. In fact, this week’s National Interest was sparked by this Ruchir Sharma column in the FT, where he talks about how Putin has not only made Russia sanctions-proof, but continues to keep winning despite insignificant economic growth. We record all the qualifications on Russia’s electoral process — ours still is much cleaner in spite of some vote-filled EVMs hitching a ride in a candidate’s car in Assam. Yet, there is no denying that he’s widely popular and will win a fairer election as well. How is he able to do this without growth?
Putin is riding the deep insecurities of a people scarred by much instability, political and economic, preceding his rise. For them, therefore, stability becomes the first priority. The economy can wait.
If we were to build on this, stability brings nationalistic self-esteem. Putin fought off many separatist or religiously inspired forces, insurgency and terrorism, “taught the upstart Ukrainians a lesson” by grabbing Crimea, stood up to America, and probably even played it in the Trump period. Under him, Russia is back to being a power that enough of the world still holds in awe.
How does it matter that its economy has shrunk relative to the rest? Even compared to the emerging markets. For comparison, it is just about 60 per cent of India’s at $1.7 trillion (in 2019), with no hope of catching up. But, if the nation is together, can punch above its economic weight in its neighbourhood and in the global balance of power, it is because of stability and leadership. The economy is about my self-interest. I can sacrifice it for some time.
Apply the same parallel to India. By 2014, India still had the scars of 2008 (26/11) and much terrorism that preceded and followed it, going right back to the early Vajpayee years. It was like two decades of humiliation with a much weaker neighbour hurting us often, at will. All India would do, from Vajpayee to Manmohan Singh, was to go complaining to America and the rest.
On top of it, we had a prime minister so weakened by his own party that he had been reduced to a caricature of that high office. Plus, the discourse across the board was all about corruption from the opposition, and inequality even by the ruling party. Between 2003 and 2009, India had built enormous pride and optimism with a booming economy. That optimism brought the UPA back to power. In the following years, it was fully reversed. It was an incredible election where the ruling party also campaigned complaining about inequality and poverty instead of its economic successes.
For the Modi proposition, if the promise of taking the ‘Gujarat Model’ nationwide was the engine, this widespread negativity provided a 200-knot tailwind. Through these seven years, he’s mostly failed to deliver on the first promise, the economy. But, on the second, national pride, standing up to terrorism from the neighbourhood, on restoring the majesty of the prime minister’s office, he scores 10 upon 10. May be even 11 upon 10. Remember, we are only talking about his voters.
Also read: Modi’s India loves global praise, but turns angry Vishwaguru at slightest criticism
The belated flurry of economic reform would suggest Modi has figured that his script is getting jaded and that he needs a new one. He will try for an economic recovery but still stick to what has worked for him so far: The three-pronged offering of massive, efficient welfarism for the poorest; hard, visible infrastructure-building; and harder, cast-in-Hindutva nationalism.
The engines of the economy, left to idle for long, take time gathering pace. It is likely that India will get a great year anyway on the back of a terrible one. Some equivalent of the stock markets’ dead cat bounce will come in. The larger, more widespread economic gains take time. They also, inevitably, increase inequality first. Usually, it’s some successor who will benefit from this. So, can’t count on it.
Modi gets this. The question is, do his challengers get it? Much of their attack is still over economic distress under Modi. Two large areas, identity (which includes religion and culture) and national pride, they’ve ceded to him altogether. Check out the Congress and Left parties’ flip-flop on Sabarimala to understand the point on identity. Or the manner of questioning over Uri, Balakot and Galwan. These underline their faltering on nationalism. Economic distress brings insecurity, but it isn’t a fraction of the visceral emotion a perceived threat to identity or national pride brings. This is why demagogues across the democratic world keep winning. The reason we’d prefer to say at this point: It isn’t the economy, genius.
Also read: No Bangladeshis, no Pakistan, no terrorism. Why Modi-Shah BJP has changed its poll pitch
Why is The Print allowing this profanity of bhakts …
SGUPTA AND THE PRINT SUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO DEVIATE THE CHATISGARH MASSACRE….! And these ‘ thinkers’ are blaming each other…!
Indeed, it is not the economy that won Modi elections. It is won by injecting venom into his bhakths, with repeated doses, till they become brain dead.
An outstanding comment Spinner saab ! And a perfect diagnosis of the dire situation prevailing in India under the tutelage of Prophet Modi – the toxic venom propaganda and hate are normalised, internalised and accepted as the norm by repeated doses.
As Adolf Hitler’s Propaganda Minister Joseph Göbbels (1897-1945) famously said:
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State”
Clearly, Modi has understood that Göbbels’ dictum applies perfectly to the Godse worshipping, gomutra swilling, cow dung consuming cretins of the BIMARU belt. As long as bhakths can thrash a helpless Muslim or lynch a Muslim cattle trader, they do not mind living a life in the poverty and filth of BIMARU. Maybe they are still waiting for the Rs 15 lacs that Prophet Modi said would flow into their accounts from overseas banks!
‘injecting venom into his bhakths, with repeated doses, till they become brain dead.’
That is a good one, a very quotable description of bhakths and how they are produced !
Facts is Mr Akash, India is going through “mass radicalisation” and soon, large swathes of the country will dance to the tune of the Gujarathi Messiah. And Muslim blood will be shed in the process.
As the Scroll writes:
“It is now clear that if you are Muslim in Narendra Modi’s new India you can be arrested for selling shoes, taking part in a protest, talking to or walking with a Hindu girl, driving a cattle truck, cracking a joke – or not. If you are a Muslim in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Constitution means little and the law can be twisted in any manner to imprison you. Criminality is irrelevant. It does even not matter that you may be a victim, not the perpetrator. Such is the ever-growing reality for Indian Muslims … The mass radicalisation of Hindu India explains Modi’s enduring popularity despite governance disasters, autocratic behaviour and record economic contraction. As long as Hindus are willing to believe that a golden era that reflects their glorious, ancient tradition is at hand, that redemption is at hand after centuries of oppression and that the pampered Muslim is being shown his place, Modi is likely to prevail”
See: “The mass radicalisation that India does not acknowledge”
Ref: bit.ly/3mmRXNr
The Scroll article brings in another vital explanatory variable that accounts for Modi’s success, at least in North India. So far.
‘As long as Hindus are willing to believe that a golden era that reflects their glorious, ancient tradition is at hand, that redemption is at hand after centuries of oppression and that the pampered Muslim is being shown his place, Modi is likely to prevail”.
Correct, that is what is behind Modi’s support, it has nothing to do with the economy or reality ! The Scroll says it directly, Gupta says it indirectly.
Many Hindus have the feeling of frustration that India has not found its place under the sun. This has grown due to international travel and migration. They have seen the west, and also seen Singapore and Malaysia, Taiwan and Korea, and UAE etc. come up. The RSS-BJP have assigned the cause for India’s under performance to minorities, Nehru, British and Muslim rule. Whereas the actual cause is the creation of an unequal and uneducated society with the caste system – which you can say Congress and Nehru did not tackle. The RSS-BJP also does not want to solve this, in fact they want to enforce the Vedic caste system of an imaginary golden era. This system makes India uncompetitive with the rest.
But delusions are ultimately unsustainable. At some stage, the Hindus will realise there is no golden era at hand. Reality does intrude into delusions eventually. And it will not take another 70 years for them to realise.
I think the bhakts here like Harry already know the reality, they are in denial as they have nowhere to go. They are trying to put on a brave face.
You cited Goebbels belief that a state must lie to grip of power. But what happened at the end ? He put his 6 children to death, and committed suicide with his wife, as the Red Army neared Berlin. He said that the state will have power and legitimacy as long as it has control of lies. The delusional 1000 year Reich, the golden age for Germany, ended in just 13.
In the case of Nazi Germany, the Soviets, Americans and British brought an end to the delusion. In India’s case, the economy will end the delusions.
@Kili Jolsiyar: We are so happy to see Pakistani media Scroll CRY HARD With LIES & whataboutism!!
It is clear you cannot refute Kili because you do not have his intellect and knowledge.
Your low intellect shines with the selection of your name. Rahul Khan Vinci. It embodies low IQ, frustration and anger. You do not have to post anything, we can judge your quality from the name.
The question is ‘what is the cause for your rage ?’ Is Pakistan or Kili unnerving you ?
If the rage is because you feel India and Hindus have not made it big, and Modi is changing that, and you have confidence in that, then why do you rage ?
If you really had belief in what you believe, you will say Modi’s performance on the economy speaks for itself. On the other hand, when you rage, it means you know India has failed, and it is due to you and Modi – and not due to Nehru, Gandhi or Kili.
Your counter-argument – if any – please….
@The spinner:
We have seen how Islam injects love in Pakistan/Bangladesh!! So they continue to kill Hindus since 70 years!! The Hindu population there is devastatingly down while Sunni Muslims are breeding like Ra-bits in India!!
No one in India has thrown venom yet or else Sunni Muslims will have the same fate as Hindus in Pakistan/Bangladesh!!
I have heard your RSS whataboutery and fabrication before. Can you cite the percentage of Hindus in Pakistan in 1947 and now ? How many took up the offer after CAA for Indian nationality ?
I have heard statistics from Sanghis which are not credible – just like all the other nonsense they fabricate. Let me hear from you, then we can can take it from there.
@Akash: No point discussing with blind & deaf of the terror book!!
Just blame RSS, BJP, Hindus.. as a jungli pig’s pass time.. and join nAllah floating in Mosques made into toilets in China!! Do take along your Pakistani brothers & Sunni TRASH in India!!
I personally haven’t so far seen a single authoritative, scholarly or academic source that Hindutva followers can quote for the decline of population of Hindus in Pakistan. Earlier Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, so the original Pakistan would have included the population of Hindus in Bangladesh. And many Hindus in Bangladesh migrated to India, that could have caused the decline in Bangladesh. But we need hard data before knowing something is true or not.
I wish in India English educated elites could be more rational and skeptical with the information they receive, but instead they are ready believers for fake news and whatsapp forwards.
@Vinodh: Ideologically blind people like you can’t see the REALITY that Islamo-leftists/Woke own the majority of Indian & global media!! These corrupt hypocrites own Google, Twitter.., Indian Express, FT, WAPO, NYT, BBC, CNN..
So how are you expecting any HONESTY??!! They ONLY do propaganda against Hindus/India or China… as well as some other non whites who refuse to bow down before these evil supremacists??!!
Want to check facts yourself?? Just type on Google: why is Biden inviting war with Russia. You will get mostly pro Biden (Islamo-leftist!) trash & NOT articles saying the truth against Biden!! Now do the same with a search engine like “duckduckgo” & see the MAGICAL difference!!
CAPITAL FLIGHT & CRANIUM FLIGHT FROM THE VISHWAGURU
Former Pakistani PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto famously said:
“If India builds the bomb, we will eat grass or leaves, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own. We have no alternative”
Turned out that smart Pakistanis were not particularly interested in the acute indigestion that eating grass and leaves would have given them. They left the country in droves to seek greener pastures, especially in the West. Something similar is happening in India as well.
Fact is, upper middle class Indians as well as rich Indians, particularly the very highly skilled are quietly leaving the country. And taking their cash with them. Capital flight during the UPA 2 regime from 2009-14 period amounted to USD 5.4 Billions. In the first 5 years of the Modi regime, USD 45 Billions has left India (ref: bit.ly/31ZoVdH) and that is a 9 fold increase. To these legal outflows, one must also add the colossal illegal outflows through over- and under-invoicing, hawala, Participatory Notes etc. etc.
The middle classes, the rich and NRIs might shout loudly about backing Modi, atmanirbhartha, national pride, Hinduism and so on. But when the chips are down, they may not put their money where their mouth is. They know how to invest, where to invest and where not to invest. They shrewdly calculate ROI (Return On Investment) of investing in the Vishwaguru or even staying in the Vishwaguru as it digs itself deeper and deeper into the Hindutva hell hole. The economy matters to those who have something to lose or for that matter a lot to lose. India’s poor become the foot soldiers of Hindutva; the rich, and in particular NRIs may become cheerleaders or support Modi & Hindutva from afar, but they will never get their hands dirty. To them the economy matters and they know how to separate Hindutva rhetoric from ROI.
Alas, that does not appear to be the case for many poor Indians, especially in BIMARU. BIMARUvians have fallen for Moditva and Hindutva lock, stock and barrel, despite the hardships imposed on them by Modi’s singularly foolish policies like demonetisation, GST, lockdown at short notice and so on. They seem to like the Modi propaganda machine and the message of Hindu pride it emits. But unlike Pakistanis, they wouldn’t mind eating grass and leaves as long as Modi is in power!
As Hitler’s Propaganda Minister under Joseph Göbbels said:
“It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion”
“The rank and file are usually much more primitive than we imagine. Propaganda must therefore always be essentially simple and repetitious”
Not surprising that Modi borrowed a leaf out of Göbbels’ book. But then, the RSS was inspired by Hitler’s Nazi ideology wasn’t it ? In any case, it has worked in North India.
The middle class and upper middle class who are nationalists have parked their money – and children – abroad. They will have the best of both worlds : live in rich, or democratic and developed countries and feel they have a leader who brings respect to Hindus.
The foot soldiers of Hindutva get burnt in trains and crushed under falling domes. But they get the chance to lynch some Muslim or harass some Christian women on trains, and thereby feel they are somebody important with power and authority.
The leader has got his private, customised jet and a new suit to wear everyday.
But alas not all the middle class and upper middle class will be able to escape to America. Most will have to stay in India and clap for Modi and say ache din will come tomorrow.
Mr Akash: Thanks for the excellent response.
Yes, many middle class and richer Indians have done their own version of Quit India. That crowd clearly knows which pastures are green and which are not. Indeed, despite all their professed love for India, they will do everything to get the coveted “green card” of “Amrika” rather than donning the “green beret” of the Indian Armed Forces. Indeed, the NRIs are vital enablers of capital flight from India. Long distance nationalism has its own set of advantages for the NRI – you don’t need to get your hands dirty as there is no shortage of lumpen and expendable foot soldiers in the BIMARU belt to do your dirty work. Additionally, you can revel in the mirage of Hindu pride.
But Hindutva is rapidly replacing secularism for the NRI crowd even here in the West. The diaspora and especially North Indian NRIs tout Hindutva ideologies with increasing belligerence. The RSS has many shakas in the US where people use their democratic freedoms in the USA to meet and work towards the destruction of democracy back in India. Hindutva’s beef police are now spreading their tentacles all over the place, slowly but steadily. In 2019, German police were called to bring calm to a fracas between North Indians from Keralites during the India Food Festival in Frankfurt because Keralites had served beef curry. In the small French town straddling the German, Swiss and French borders where I live, the Sri Lankan Tamil chap who runs the local Indian restaurant is a friend of mine. He has of late had Indian tourists berating him for not speaking Hindi and serving beef and non-vegetarian dishes in his restaurant in France! I try to regard these incidents as anecdotal but increasingly, there are more and more such episodes of jingoism on display. They are no more anecdotal but the average.
Sadly, India’s image outside the country is increasingly the image of Hindutva and an autocratic Delhi University graduate who has the temerity to think that he can step into Nehru’s, Shastry’s or ManMohan Singh’s boots. I work in international relations and the image of India that I get from my conversations – formal as well as informal – with diplomats, international civil servants like myself and so on is so tremendously different from what Indians think of the country’s status outside. As The Economist wrote, “Only Indians think that their country’s image has improved”.
In an earlier post, you had mentioned about the rape and murder of 8 year old Asifa Bano in a temple in Kathua by the priest and his accomplices. You have a more recent incident from a temple in Dasna where a 14 year old Muslim child, an illiterate ragpicker wandered into the temple to quench his thirst. He was brutally assaulted by two Hindus – one of whom kicks the boy in his genital area “to prevent him from making more Muslim children”. Would any Sikh gurudwara have attacked a thirsty child asking for water ? Would any mosque or dargah have done that? As a Hindu – albeit a very lapsed one – I feel truly sad Akash saab. I do not anymore recognise the country of my birth.
Just a minor correction: The Führer has purchased not 1 but 2 customised Boeing 777 jets costing a whopping USD 1.18 billions!!
PS: I have a few comments on the assault on the thirsty Muslim child at the Hindu temple “Dasna temple priest’s inflammatory comments on the Prophet go viral, Delhi police file FIR“ . The comments there from people who defend this depraved act of violence will simply stun you. If you could, please do comment there as well. You can access the article at : bit.ly/3dCuFzd
Merci beaucoup.
How are Hindus doing in Stolen Hindutva lands of Papistan/Bangladesh??
Are they still alive like Sunni Muslims in India??!!
Why haven’t you gone to war to get back the Stolen Hindutva lands of Papistan/Bangladesh?? Amit Shah says he will get it back. You can volunteer to join that expedition for recapture.
Beating up some isolated Muslim instead, only projects frustration and cowardice. You may imagine the world sympathizes with ‘the awakened Hindu’, but all you have done is spoil the image of India. Your Hindu anger appears phony and just a mask for wickedness.
Are Hindus still alive in Papistan like Sunni Muslims in India??!! Well I presume they are. Otherwise why did Modi and Amit Shah make such a show of conferring citizenship to them ? Once they come over, you have the answer you want to hear about your question. There will be no Hindus there. After you have achieved that, you can think of your reversal project, the recapture of Papistan to settle Hindus there !
But don’t worry, the reality is hardly any have come over to India since CAA and the ones who came many years ago have not got the papers ! They will flounder in Indian corruption and bureaucracy. And the other reality is there is no possibility of reconquest of Papistan. You also know this.
You can flounder with your frustrations and delusions. But the option to come out is also there – use your intellect. There is some free will.
I can believe your observation that Hindu militancy and vigilantism are spreading abroad, with your example of the Sri Lankan restaurant in France. I never imagined Indians would adopt vigilantism abroad, but if you open shakhas abroad, I guess that was bound to happen.
Two very recent incidents confirm that. Firstly, Hindu groups in Australia assaulted Sikhs over the farmer’s protest, and an Australian senator asked for the VHP to be curbed. Secondly, a Hindu on an Air France flight started assaulting Sikhs on board for the same reason, forcing an unplanned stopover in Bulgaria to off load him. There is a video of him shouting Modi’s name on the flight and saying ‘Hindus are awakening’. There were complaints against Republic Channel and Arnob, in the UK, and he was fined by the TV regulator there. The UAE and Gulf countries deported some Indians for hate speech on Twitter. Complaints against Dr. Aarti Mirchandani, a principal of a Medical College who said on video that hospitals should not to admit Muslims with Covid, were sent to a foreign country’s health ministry, warning that recruiting Indian trained doctors is a risk for their health service.
I thought Hindutva Nazism will be confined to India and would not spill over as it did from Germany to the rest of Europe. We have two nuclear neighbours, so Indians cannot get carried away go for war. But you never know – if it is drummed into your head that you are the vishwa guru and the world was Akhand Bharat once, such delusions may lead to even devastating wars.
For me, the lowest point in Hindutva’s trajectory was the gang rape of a 8 year old in a temple by a priest, his son, nephew and police. They came back to see if she was alive for another go. I do not need any more evidence on how far Hindutva enraged Hindus are willing to go for the ‘Hindu golden age’.
On the Dasna temple priest’s comments, that is part of the trend in upping the ante. Two weeks back, another priest issued a video saying APJ Abdul Kalam was a traitor, and he had many Hindu vaiganiks assassinated, and he made Pakistan a nuclear power.
I shall have a look at the article on the Dasna priest, thanks.
I would not be dispirited by the advance of fascism. In Tolstoy’s War and Peace, one person notes when the wicked join hands together, the righteous have to link their arms to resist. The mob does not have intellect, they have a cowardly rage, but intellect will prevail in the end.
The biggest headache, problem in India is the 5 BIMARU states. They monopolize everything in New Delhi. They drag down Indian Economy so much that there is nothing you can do except “carry” them by the coffers of the rest of the county. Since that is unlikely for long, India shall remain economically what it is today or get even worse. The UK, EU fight is nothing you have seen yet!!
@Kili Jolsiyar: SO?? WHAT are you waiting for?? MOVE!
TAKE along the Sunni TRASH drinking Gaumutra here since 1947!!
LEAVE ISLAMIC TRASH FOR GOOD JUST LIKE PAKISTAN!!
Mr Rohit: That rant of yours : is that an expression of Hindu culture ? Or just your own Hindutva culture?
Bill Clinton was one of the top IQ President in the 250 years history of the USA. Given his IQ, calling folks stupid is not hard to understand. But a stupid can not call another stupid. This apples in India too.
Cant you understnd moron? Brand Modi came to power on his branding. Strong leader, strong on defence and forein policy and vikas. How many highways were built by modi and before? What about toilets and bank accounts? Compare before and after modi. He is seen to be doin a half way decent job, compared to earlier regimes. Strong politically incorrect decisions like article 370.
Add to the fact, there is NO opposition figure that can take him on. Baat khatam. He will keep on winning for ever
Hindu militant: When you bray about Modi:
“He will keep on winning for ever”
the follow-up question is: Is he immortal?
Additionally, I thought that Mullah Adityanath was waiting to push him out with an even more militant type of Hindutva. Shouldn’t you be supporting Mullah Adityanath since you unabashedly claim to be a Hindu militant ? In fact Adityanath even endorsed a chap who wanted to dig out the corpses of dead Muslim women and rape them. A job opportunity for you there perhaps?
“Dig out the corpses of dead women and rape them”
Isn’t that written to do that in the Quran/Islamic scriptures for their love of Hindus & non Muslims??!!
It would have been more helpful if alog with the bank accounts, we got the 15 lakhs of black money that Modi promised to bring back from abroad.
Instead, we had a demonetisation excecise in India to flush out black money and 99.9% of the currency returned.
Show your courage at the LAC or LOC, or go back to the shakha to show off your cowardice !
why do you need 15 lakhs ? fukat me? I dont need to go to LAC, I send intellectuals like you there. All left liberal pseudo intellects, libtards, I send to fight
Why did Modi promise 15 lakhs ? He said the previous govts. had looted from the common man, and he was going to slay corruption and bring it back for the common man. Where is it ? Modi is looting the public on a bigger scale, routing pubic money to a falied Ambani, buying 2 planes for himself, wearing a new suit everyday, his karyakartas are travelling by helicopter…. where is the money coming from for these, when the per capita income is now lower than Bangladesh ?
Thanks hindu militant for confirming your cowardice. You will be an excellent mob fighter, but you don’t have the courage to show your Hindu militancy at the LAC. For that, you need to send someone else. That is how the RSS works.
Well said Spinner saab !
In addition to the facts you mention about the vainglorious Gujarathi Führer and his expensive tastes, there is one more very worrying trend in the Indian economy under his watch: massive capital flight.
Both foreigner investors and Indians themselves are taking their investments and wealth out of the country by means legal and illegal. In an earlier comment to this article, I had actually cited figures to show that capital flight under the Modi regime has increased 9 fold to a whopping 45 Billion USD. And that was before COVID struck and the Führer’s policies sent the economy into a nosedive. Indeed, all the credit rating agencies have all downgraded India and India’s bonds are just a tad above junk status.
But all this rational economic and political analysis is water off the duck’s back as far as Hindu Militant and the vast bhakth army is concerned. He is a member of the Modi cult and a Babu Bajrangi clone. Babu Bajrangi boasted that he found great delight in setting fire to innocent Muslim women and children during the Godhra pogroms, Hindu Militant and his ilk do not necessarily regard the shedding of innocent Muslim blood as a crime. And when the people themselves want Muslim blood to be spilt or Muslims to become second class citizens in their own country, what can you and I do Spinner saab?
That is what Modi has transformed India into.
Welcome to the Vishwaguru.
Can you RSS guys win a fight at the LAC or LOC without the OBC, SC, Sikhs or the other minorities ?
OBC, SC are Hindus, not minorities and you are Taqiyya.
Summary of the article: error 404 unbiased journalism not found 🙂
Bring back Ballot ? box system, fake votes and corrupt Indian politicians and political system, We only have daylight looters and gold diggers in our office…! India ?? gone with the wind .!
Ballot Chor = Congressi Jihadi = Rahul Sunni Pakistani!!
If Shekhar Gupta type journalists could understand what makes voters to vote Modi, Congress would have never been defeated. Nobody is stopping Modi haters to use any strategy that they think can defeat Modi. However, one thing is for sure, before Shekhar Gupta type apply a strategy, they must have credibility among voters. Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders would continue to loose voters confidence if they continue to believe in propaganda based on lies and manufactured stories. Voters would believe a message only if it’s relevant and has substance.
@ak.dev: I for one only see @The Print; Shekhar Cupta’s content scantly because they along with NDTV, Scroll, Wire etc. are Congressi anti Hindu & ant India; almost Pakistani/communist/Chinese sponsored Channels!!
The only thing interesting to watch in their content is the comments section!!
I was confused by the notion that petrol had become very costly at Rs 100/litre but yesterday in my small town, they was a traffic jam at 6pm. Keep in mind that people usually leave office by 4:30 pm here and are home by 5:30 pm. So atleast half of the traffic are just people roaming around the town for entertainment purposes. That got me thinking either petrol is not costly at Rs 100/litre or people have become richer in my town and India in general inspite of the faltering economy.
If you are best in economics , why your economy is going down and you have to request to users for support
@Prashant: Exactly!! Well said!! Sounds the Congressi/Pakistanis & Chinese have stopped sending them cheques!!
Fact check your data. Also talk about the pros and milestones that our economy is achieving. We understand that intellectualism, liberalism and one-way secualrism doesn’t allow you to do so. But you can atleast try or just showoff. Maybe you’ll be a lesser marginalised.
@Ojashvi Singh: We need the Congress Jihadis & their traitor media decimated!!
Economy doesn’t matter because war is essentially between savarna’s and obc’s. It is about political power as well as grievances about reservations in jobs. Savarna’s being most intelligent group are most adept in co-opting allies from depressed groups. Mandal finished congress and whatever was left was destroyed by saboteurs inside.
Very succinctly and correctly put ! Hindutva is competition between savarnas and obcs, but Muslims and Christians are the bogeys, and nationalism is a fig leaf for maintaining savarna privileges. The savarna will not say it, he will mask it as love for ‘my country’.
Political power for the few = money for the few.
It is a society that does not accept the concepts of democracy : equal rights and opportunities. Ambedkar had described India’s caste culture as a system of graded inequality. The savarnas strongly believe in it.
@Akash: Will you let us know what Dr. Ambedkar said so about Islam /Christianity & WHY they are dangerous for diversity in any nation??!!
Don’t bother!! I know you won’t because you are a hypocrite liar!!
There is democracy in Islamic Pakistan!! MOVE!!
2 rupees for your filthy article. Most of life has changed after 2014. We know who print and wire working for.
Rahulgandikepapa: You snort :
“Most of life has changed after 2014”. Gone down the drain you mean ?
And which faction of the Godse worshippers are you working for ? RSS? VHP? Ram Sene?
Jab isne modi ko support kiya toh tum kaha the. Aur hum opposition wale ko jitna blindness nahin utna tumhe kyon.
Dear print, Earlier India was more fool by voting again and again for 60 years rule of upa and now it’s only 2 terms are of MDA government and some of them couldn’t digest it.So it’s shows frustration and loyalist nature of This article and media
Stfu
Robert sona kahan hai??!!
The post expected from a dalla journalist libreandu channel.
Uhhhh
The post expected from a dalla commenter licking Adityanath’s posterior.
The article is written with only one objective: to defame Modiji. Writer intentionally neglects his achievements. I am a common man. I am putting here my own experience. Article creates impression that there has always been a decline in Indian economy in BJP regime. Sincerely, neither I, nor people around me felt so. As a prime minister of our democracy, his has taken many decisions which will have far reaching positive impact on our society. In my opinion, his most important job were (rather they are still) to form a cohesive, emotionally bonded society. India became “country” after 1947. But unfourtunately, our society has yet not received enough maturity to become a “nation”. Congress did very little in this direction. Leftists have been trying hard to confuse people and keep us in “heterogeneous society”. Implementation of CAA, act against CAA are few steps Modiji took to make our society healthier. Last point. I read posts of some of my Muslim brothers. I am fully convinced that mind sets of many of them are “prepared” by shrewd leftist writers. Writer of artcle appearing in the print is a good example of this. My sincere appeal to all Muslim brothers and sisters, please read “Modi, muslims and media” by Madhu Kishwar. Go through the opinions of gujrati muslims. This book will give you real picture of Modiji’s personality
Sir, your analysis is brilliant. Indeed Modiji has created a brand new India the likes of it we couldn’t have imagined earlier. There is so many ch work on infrastructure for example, so many airports – granted these were functioning even before 2014, but now they are under efficient control of our Uber businessman from our foremost state Gujarat -Shri Adani. We have so many companies, we keep hearing about 5 trillion economy etc. We are doing so well that we can even pay easily for 100 Ra petrol. It’s all good!
Loved your brilliant repartee Mr Patel !
I think Mr A.M.Gosavi is able to live on air, unlike most Indians who have a hard time getting the next square meal. But then, a blinkered, blink member of the Modi cult will sell his mother to get Modi elected. He will wipe his own posterior when his Prophet sits in the toilet.
@Patel: Go to Islamic Syria!! Drink CHEAP petrol & enjoy ISIS!!
What about low crime rate?
What about incidence of rapes?
Why do so many undertrials stay in jail for a long time?
Why do court cases proceed so slowly in our justice system?
Why do we have to pay bribes in state government offices (even BJP ruled states) for many public services at state and municipality levels?
Has poverty reduced? Have many people have been pulled out of poverty?
With “emotionally bonded society” have all these really improved drastically after 2014? I think these parameters define a progressive nation.
Tell your Modi to legalize homosexual marriages in India. why he isn’t doing that.if he is so progressive and don’t give me shit about congress didn’t do this or that or what is happening in Pak etc the usual BJP shit.
Yeah Hrishikesh well said. After seeing all the data’s regarding economic downfall, degradation,loss of lives and livelihoods, demonetization, severe poverty, food crisis ( go check the new schematics, India stands below Bangladesh in the list), fall in GDP and many more that were beautifully served to you in a golden spoon, this is what you contribute. Keep aside the thoughts and mantras ( Jay Shree Ram) that you have been fed by your so called Hindu Netas and Mantris and for god’s sake be UNDECIDED for atleast once in your life. Then you will see the clearer picture. India does have another name called ‘Hindustan ‘but does that make it only for Hindus. Then tell your beloved Game- changers to withdraw the word Secular. Let’s see how they perform with only the votes of Hindus. Or better tell them to install EVMs that would only allow and identify Votes from Hindus. And one more thing my friend, idiots are not those who shout on the streets, ..idiots are those who try to see the world through Party- coloured BLINDFOLDS..
Where were you 10 years back?. Oh Sorry, you’re just another pawn of Congress Army. Have you asked the same question when Congress was ruling or you were you busy protecting the King?. Major Developments are clearly visible but Humans have a nature stick to that one particular mistake. Journalist’s always look for holes but never try to fill those instead they keep poking and poking and then the hole becomes the major issue. Try to be less skeptical and more trustworthy.
Rather unsurprisingly the article is called national interest…however as usual its about modi backers being cast as driven by religious motives and generally less informed or educated than Shekhar himself…so much for self promotion…I wish these media guys could find fresh really neutral writers
Mr Ramankutty Balakrishnan : If you want to read articles praising your Gujarathi Prophet, go and read the RSS Observer or Swarajyamag or any number of exemplars of India’s paid media. They will only sing praises to the Prophet. Or better still, soak up in Arnab Goswami’s hot air. There are plenty of such rags in the Vishwaguru. Clearly, critical journalism is not what you want.
Mr Balakrishnan, despite your alluding to be a well informed, educated man not driven by religious motives, you still live in a country where, thanks to the certifiably daft policies of your Gujarathi Prophet, almost every economic indicator has gone downhill. Were you perhaps in some sort of Rip Van Winkle type slumber when the Prophet deployed hare-brained policies like demonetisation, ban on cow slaughter, GST, diversion of precious resources to building temples, statues and the like, losing of territory to the Chinese, squandering India’s vast resources of soft power ?
Mind boggling indeed that a man from God’s Own Country would display less education than an itchy-testicled gaurakshak from BIMARU.
No wonder Keralite Hinds keep their mouth shut. Thuggish secularists like Kili are trying to shame that. What Ramankutty Balakrishnan and other Hindus in Kerala need is to show Middle finger to Secus like Kili, telling them that this our land, if you don’t like our empowerment catch Samjhota Express.
Absolutely correct!! Mr. R. Balakrishnan!!
@Print does write about National interest!! What they FAIL to mention is that they are talking about national interest of either Pakistan, Vatican or communist China!!
Reality Check: Journalism is not the same as propaganda. Journalism is meant to be critical, fact-based and probing. Hence, it is not the duty of relatively responsible publications like The Print to function as mouthpieces of the Modi regime. There are multitudes of Indian news outlets that pay tribute the Führer and you could switch over to one of them. Swarajyamag, Arnab Goswami’s hot air shows, the RTSS Observer etc. would better suit your leanings.
Oh really??!! You know something about journalism??!!
Journalism is NOT licking arse!! It’s presenting all sides of the picture, not just one side!!
@Print, Quint, Scroll, BDTV are NOT journalists but propagandists, liars & presstitutes!! I must agree though that @Print is a bit better than the other Islamo-leftist fascists!!
Sekher Gupta has rightly said economy is not doing well under Modi. According Mr Gupta economy started faltering from 2015-16 onwards. Does that mean economy data were so badly cooked by prior government that everything started falling apart even without Modi tinkering with economy? How can one justify celebrated governor of RBI, a reputed economist, had no idea of myriad scams affecting banking sector? Certainly Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Chokshi scams did not start post 2014. Then came demonitisation. Did it flatten Indian economy and suppressed demand? Intriguing because does poor always use 500 rupee currency note? Besides, currency could have been exchanged, provided it was honest earning. Does this flattening of economy means most of Indian economy was running on unaccounted money? Then came COVID, economy shrunk even further. But so did economy of many countries. Modi may be a bad economic manager, could he be paying price of someone else’s sins?
You could simplify your post and say Modi is paying the price for Nehru’s sins.
No, Modi is not a bad economy manager. His understanding of India’s poor is better than any of his opponents. Shekhar Gupta knew nothing about how a poor voter thinks and votes for Modi.
I think both central and state governments alike are bribing poor voters with freebies and direct transfers. This does not help the nation long term, as taxpayer money is wasted on welfare…it is not really pulling the poor out of poverty. These inducements are keeping the poor permanently in the villages and small towns, and prevents them from migrating to cities in search of factory or service jobs. How can poverty reduce if they just do agricultural jobs or simply idle away time in villages?
Modi has to do what China did – extensive industrialisation and capitalism which gave the village poor many jobs, so they migrated out of villages and small towns to earn better incomes and pulled themselves out of poverty. China has not totally eliminated poverty ( despite some propaganda) but they are likely to reach that goal in 5-10 years.
Why Modi is winning… You seem to be puzzled with not finding an answer for that?
It’s ‘Demography’- you fool!
Indian Hindus do Not like appeasement politics and they understand that it’s a huge danger for them and their next generation.
Luckily the larger public of India has understood this and the long term impact changes that Modi is trying to bring in with every move.!
Clinton called you right..’you stupid column writer . ??
Well said
It is not always economy. Economic indicators will start improving a decade later. It is the structural and social reforms along with national pride which Modi has begun. Indian citizen are very smart they always know what is right. Don’t be surprised if Modi comes again in 2024.
BJP policy states that no one above 75 can be voted to PM. Modi would be 74 in 2024. He’s not coming for a third term.
Economy grows not by the lawmakers but by the hardworking people of the nation. People work hard when they know the country is led by an able administrator.
Modi ji may not be the best skilled person for the job but we know he’s not a corrupt person. Naturally people have a strong liking for a clean person because that will boost their morale.
Economy will certainly improve under Modi ji.
Modi and all Is Cool . Can you pass me on the toolkit?
Sir,
You jurnalist never spoke about religion conversation tacts used by others. Never spoke about problem faced by Hindu religion. Never spoke why government is taking money from Temple’s and having government administration only for Hindu? Never spoke about giving salary to Maulavi only. Never spoke about how population percentage of muslims is rising surprisingly in India that one fine day if not opposed the Muslim Identity politics then there will be red blooded civil war in country. So first speak about this and DO NOT TELL US ONE SIDED WRONG COOKED STORIES.
JAI HIND
Shekhar Gupta is quite clear that the economy has declined. He shows all the indicators point to a down turn, which started with deomonetisation.
‘Lately, India has had at least 7 out of 8 quarters of growth decline.’ Now we are slated for -9% growth. Covid is a factor but China is posting +4%.
Often when a company or a business goes down badly, it does not recover. You build accumulated debts and other problems. Modi govt. will be fighting fires, like spending for defence of the LAC. The rest of the time, he will be setting parts of the country on fire himself to win elections.
.
Modi’s bhakths cannot digest that. They live in an alternative reality. But the outside world knows India’s promise is over. Capital is fleeing and no great FDI is coming in. Companies leaving China have not come to India. The economy has gone out of the BJP’s hands, they have given up, now we do not hear as many slogans about development.
SG asks ‘So, what is it that works for Modi, if not the economy? ‘. The answer is obvious. Making Hindus feel they are winning against Muslims. The French political scientist and expert on India, Professor Christophe Jaffrelot of King’s College London says that Modi and the BJP have created a minority complex in the majority. That works. Actually, people from the majority community like SG should be strong enough to tell the Hindus to stop comparing with the minority.
As usual, SG mixes in praise for false achievements. ‘For the Modi proposition, if the promise of taking the ‘Gujarat Model’ nationwide was the engine, this widespread negativity provided a 200-knot tailwind.’
The Gujarat model had nothing apart from beating up the 9% minority. It was an act of cowardice. If there was so much development in Gujarat, why did Modi build a wall so Trump could not see it ?!!! By writing make believe about a Gujarat model, SG makes Modi credible.
‘Through these seven years, he’s mostly failed to deliver on the first promise, the economy. But, on the second, national pride, standing up to terrorism from the neighbourhood, on restoring the majesty of the prime minister’s office, he scores 10 upon 10. May be even 11 upon 10. Remember, we are only talking about his voters.’
Again national pride only is against Indian Muslims. Modi cannot stand up to China. He is meek in front of Xi.
The comparison with Putin’s nationalism and Modi’s (that both do not have economic growth , yet keep winning) is invalid. Putin has done much better than Modi. Russia is back to being a power as SG notes. Putin has wisely settled the insurgency in the Muslim localities like Checynya. Initially, he went for war but he realised he could not win and terrorism will come to Moscow. Now he has settled with the Muslims like the Chechens and Tatars. Grozny the capital of Checynya has been rebuilt by Russia with a grand mosque (see the videos, it looks like Dubai now). Putin has declared that Islam is the second religion of mother Russia and it will have an honourable place, and he will not allow cartoons of the French type. Muslims have been in Russia since Catherine the Great. He does not want to have Turkish and Saudi Imams, he wants local ones. Putin has thereby a settled a problem that could have drained Russia. Modi has not done that. He is ruling Kashmir with the gun, and letting vigilantes attack Muslims throughout India. Whereas he could have done the same as Putin and used the Indian Muslims to settle differences with Pak.. Hence, you cannot compare Modi with Putin – the latter is far cleverer than Modi even if not a democrat. Putin is an educated person. The other false comparison is that Russia’s GDP is lower than India’s. It is, but its population is 144 million, India’s is 1.2 billion. It is the per capita income that matters and Russia is much ahead than India – the people are well fed and healthy, and not famished like Indians. If Russia’s economy did not grow much due to Putin, it is not as damaging as India’s shrinking economy due to Modi – Indians are living hand to mouth, and any shrinkage destroys us.
Shekhar Gupta’s last remark is ‘This is why demagogues across the democratic world keep winning. ‘ He does not have the courage to say Modi is India’s demagogue and that is the basis of his success so far !
So you are angry because he wrote a polite article instead of spewing vitriol? Your arguments about Putin are all wrong. Russia’s per capita GDP is higher because of rich moscow region. Most people there earn ten thousand rubles per month. And that is like ten thousand rupees. Their problem with muslim countries had little to do with religion. Those areas were ruled by Russians for a long time before soviets took over. Modi is not ruling Kashmir simply with guns as recent DDC polls showed it. As for standing up to Xi, putin himself is only bullying small states around Russia. And chinese have gone back from most of the places where they made incursions in 2020. Whatever you say, Gujrat is really a better industrial place than many parts of India. I also know Modi is resposible for much mess in India, but your arguments paint a more malicious picture. If whole India was suffering greatly, Modi’s Hindutva balloon would have burst already. It is going to burst anyway. And since I do not have enough time, I am not talking about minority appeasement during UPA rule.
I always listen Minority appeasement during Congress era but failed to understand what really it is..? If they were appeased why they are poor still ? I find all the Reservations in jobs and education are reserved for Hindu castes..then what is appeasement..?
Muslims, Sikhs , Christians, Buddhists and other minorities fall in general category in reservations.
Due to reservations in education, OBC and SC have uplifted themselves into salaried white collar jobs. They are prospering. The minorities are going to be the real backward classes. In 10-15 years they will slide into extreme educational
backwardness. Most of them today already languish in blue collar jobs and dirty/dangerous jobs. Most minorities are self employed. Of course studious minorities will get good degrees because of innate talent to do well in studies but these types of students in minority communities are few because of lack of access to educational opportunities.
I don’t get the gist of the post. How am I wrong ?
I said there is no point equating Modi with Putin, India with Russia. India’s situation is dire. The economy is reduced to a parlous state, in a country where the baseline per capita income is low. If it falls, the middle calls become poor and the poor starve. India is over populated with 1.2 billion and lot of youth coming to the job market – supposedly a demographic dividend. Russia as 144 million, a 1/10 of India’s population and it is the biggest country around. Their problem is vanishing population.
I said that Putin chose to integrate the Muslim regions intelligently by creating goodwill. Modi does not have the intelligence for that.
‘Whatever you say, Gujrat is really a better industrial place than many parts of India. ‘ Explain why Modi built a wall in Ahmedabad to shield Trump’s sight.
You yourself say Modi is responsible for the mess in India, so how I have been malicious ? You say Hindutva baloon will burst, so how am wrong ? It seems you know but you do not want me to point out Modi is the cause for India’s failure.
Your argument is flawed. You are a Hindu. You do not like Modi hating muslims. There are many like you. Not all Hindu Indians vote for Modi and BJP. But Modi is winning. There can be many reasons. One thing I can say is Modi is addressing problems of 600 crore dispossesed by his schemes. You may pooh pooh it, but what government gives goes to recipient hundred percent. dont undermine this.
‘….but what government gives goes to recipient hundred percent. dont undermine this.’
No one is denying that Modi is popular amongst the majority of Hindus. Shekhar Gupta has noted that this is despite Modi’s failure with the economy. Gupta is at a loss to understand this, but then he gives some vague explanation about how national pride has a powerful tug. I say that ‘national pride’ of the BJP is only communal pride, and that is the sole reason for his support. It is not sustainable for ever.
As for crores who got bank accounts, there is little point if they are empty. Where are the 15 lakhs of black money to be brought from outside ? We only saw defaulters who shared platform with Modi in Davos have escaped.
Why can’t you accept support for Modi is just communalism ? Why are you ashamed to say it , why do you have to bring in weak explanations of schemes for 600 crores ? Why is SG ashamed to say it ? There are many Modi supporters who are proud of their communalism.
@Akash: “..‘national pride’ of the BJP is only communal pride..””?
So what is Islamic Pakistan??: The definition of secularism in Islam & Sunni Muslims??
Who were those who voted for Pakistan but stayed in India??
Was it secularism, bigotry or Sunni Muslim love for drinking Gaumutra??!!
Just wonder why there has not yet been the Chinese style re-education for brainwashed Sunnis still in India!!
600 crores? or ‘sawa crore’? Which one is the correct figure?
you even dont have to read their articles anymore, you just see print and shekhar and you can know its just anti agendas there no facts.
absolutely right, you even dont have to read their articles anymore, you just see print and shekhar and you can know its just anti agendas there no facts.
I haven’t read the whole of this piece as it’s no brainer Economics isn’t Shah-Moodi’s cuppa. They breathe politics, they eat politics, they drink politics and, ahem, they …… politics. For them politics trumps all other considerations, economy is no exception.
That said, when was that the government ever contributed to the country’s economic growth? Except may be for Sardarji’s Big Bang door opening ceremony, India owes its growth story to our entrepreneurial young, and the IT engineers whose sweat alone turned the dollar tap on. Otherwise, the government’s contribution ever only produced the Hindu rate of crawling!
Evm or something else
I think you are a gadha and you would go and die with a gadha
Open your eyes and introspect about the fact that why majority of Indians world over love and stand by our Prime Minister. You will see that the facts are exactly the opposite of what you have imagined in the last 7 years. People of India are not as dumb as you think. Dumb people are ones who are the loudest on the streets. Intelligent people just go and vote for the right person. Journalism is not about spreading hatred. Try and be a little transparent. I know it’s a little difficult for you. But better late than never.
absolutely spot on ??
Really well said brother.
Good slap
I don’t know why so many people are brainwashed by the bjp politics. Modi is the fakest politician I’ve seen till date, he plays politics of diversion and never addresses the elephant in the room, always beats around the bush. All his speeches are hateful, all agendas are religion Oriented divide and rule.
He doesn’t have slightest of shame, doesn’t care about healthcare and education, the real development initiators for a country like India. If this simple thing is not getting inside the citizens brain, then I fear for the future of the country.
PS: not all BJP critics are congress supporters, stop assuming. Rahul Gandhi is incapable, but manmohan singh was much better. Criticising the government is the role of active responsible citizens. Do it.
You keep criticising. Modi will become better and better. That’s the fuel. People were fed up with corruption and dynasty.
You are true to the core but blind bhakts can’t understand
Lamao, do you think health and education sector was goood before modi?
In that is your opinion, I believe, my friend, you’ve not heard any of the PM’s speeches…
It’s funny how every article by the print is anti bjp. The writer is a known congress loyalist but when you say bjp won because of right wing politics you are doubting those people who voted for bjp and by so you are doubting the intellect of the majority. Didn’t have the patience to read the whole
U paid slaves
Agreed and beffiting reply
Nothing to doubt about we all (means people with brains) know as quoted by scientists that only 1 % of people are capable of being smart
So u know choosing BJP may or may not right but it definitely not soo start to think that what majority chooses is right.
Great perspective
I think there is no 1 reason why modi is winning but yes shining economy is definitely not one of them
No alternate yet in the centre
Strong rooted organization (bjp + RSS), this is real, full credit here
Electoral charm and churn
Lies (or promises leading to
Peoples’ false hopes for fake ache din)
Godi media making dedicated andhbhakts
Nah .
Well tried but you’ve got to try harder The Print All this is getting old . Try harder , so far you’ve only been 10% successful in your agenda .
Shame on you Sekar and your coterie of leftists editorial group. I myself being an IITian can proudly says that we achieved much more stuff that was never achieved in last 70+ years of freedom. You won’t understand that ever. Shame.
Which school have you been is doubt is you and modi went to same school than I agree with you anyways chai pakoda will be the choice for future generations
Look around you, JERK….see how the Infra structure of this nation has transformed, you lived in an era of single lane self proclaimed highways to where we are now…..Keep sulking, your sulk makes it even more pleasing !
@Steven: Chai pakora are delicious!! Make some & you too will have a job!!
You & other leftists/fascists can continue to sulk while this nation is being transformed for good!!
Plz explain
IITian hone se kya hota hai lmfao
Modi surely has succeeded in transforming grey matter , whatever little was there in the skull of his supporters, into dung, if you want any proof of it then you need to just scan through the comments section, to observe how people with an IIT have descended to defend their supreme leader.
The harebrained stupids take any criticism of Modi as an act treason and question the Deshbhakti of editor.
Stupids don’t even know that media person’s job is to ask tough questions to keep leaders and government in check ? Wasn’t Indira Gandhi criticized ? Wasn’t Nehru opposed, wasn’t Atal ji criticized ?
The demonetisation was done solely to win UP election by weakening money power of opposition by making 500/1000 notes useless. And that goal was achieved. Taking advantage of fickle memory of people, the supporters came out with justifications to save master’s move. And they have been doing so continuously. Come on guys at least use your grey matter as was advised by honourable PM . अगर भगवान ने कुछ (भेजे की तरफ इशारा) दिया है तो उसका इस्तेमाल करो।
SG is right.Economy doesn’t matter anymore.A wise man once said “religion is the opium of the masses”. This should be converted to identity politics is the opium of the masses.Talk about Sabarimala in Kerala, Jallikkattu in Tamilnadu ,CAA and Bangladeshi infiltration in Assam and visit temples of electorally important castes and make catcalls of Didi in Bengal-job done. Distract and divert the people from real issues like petrol/diesel prices, demonetisation and GST fiascos, the farmers protests, the decline of India in most global rankings that matter,Chinese occupation of Indian territory etc
The old adage says, you can fool some people all the time and all the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time. In India ,you can fool a lot of people all the time.
You nailed it!
Hi, Ostritch !
What an interpretation and justification of your undigested victory of Modi? Why do you think that your perspective is correct over Millions of People who voted for this Government. But while trying to portrait your frustration in illutionastic way you have touched one right point that is economic is subsidiary for us when there a question of Identity, Heritage, Self Respect and peaceful co-existence.
@The Print, why don’t you use your expertise towards solutions of the issues. Why don’t you try to adopt some constructive approach. All your analysis is roaming around your repeatedly defeating Ideology and Winning Chain of Modi. Why there is so much hatred that till time you are not ready to accept him as your prime minister. Not it has been 7 Years.
Also, learn to put Trust in People of India and their will.
Such a useless article, looking at the headline, I thought it was going to be a well research article with some good insights. Apart from global gyan which can be found at any media outlet, I didn’t find anything interesting.
In future, I hope you can lead with the term ‘glocalisation’ on how during elections, the ruling party is using the narrative of the local issues, infusing it with national issues to drive their agenda to win th elections.
Actually, it was a very insightful article, maybe you didn’t read it carefully.
The print = BIAS. Bunch of dissatisfied souls.kv
Lol marginalised and hapless..y do you “print” guys think you were ever important or u are media champs
Sekhar Gupta and his ilk have to make a living, too. And if her has to do that writing “smarter than anybody else” articles, so be it.
PRINT another sister of idiot anti hindhu NDTV.
SAME WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE
WEN WILL U PEOPLE CHANGE
I feel that it has more to do with the fact that there is no strong opposition leader in India at present. Common man is just not able to see Rahul Gandhi as PM. Whatever Modi is doing or not doing, people assume he is still a better choice than Rahul Gandhi.
Sir you fail to see the trees in the woods. Even after pandemic the middle class and poor suffers a lot. But still the gig economy offers them alternate jobs. Only those who think they are born to do certain type of jobs suffers. Inflation, poverty, Un employment and rising in equality are the permanent features. Modi provided JAM, made AADHAR successful and the money goes in to the account of Direct Beneficiaries. Service Sector is expanding, Roads and Transport sector develops and also the communication sector. Earlier the traders made complaints against amazon and others and now realizes that every body has their own market. Fuel prices rising but people now use their vehicles only for essential. Now mobility has increased. Demonetization and Pandemic has taught tough economic lessons to everybody. Everybody knows these problems were not created by Modi and nor he can solve it fully. He is not corrupt and makes some attempt. He talks to the people and most important not to the journalists. These are the reasons for his success.
yep .. that’s what my understanding has been for last 7 years .. exactly same. If a simple student like me gets this point then why don’t these losers get it.
If national sentiment was so easy to chanellise, then why Indira Gandhi lost after winning Bangladesh war?
Modi is honest, diligent, crafty and truly focused on improving India and Indians. Mistakes are forgiven but wrong intentions are not. Modi reins supreme on the collective conscience of the nation.
Are you retarded?
The truth is that India has lost its secularism and its democratic ideals under the Modi Government, which has been also verified by a Swedish study. What good is nationalism when the country loses its identity as a diverse state of numerous religions, the govt openly discussing ban on religious conversions, when this diversity and the fluidity is the essense of our nation? And those who complain that there is no one else who can be voted, let it be known that there is an option called NOTA.
The Print media is very biased to one particular religion. Whatever they do wrong but Print Media always show them right this is the reason today Print media is begging to people for funds to run its anti national media. Hope they are getting most of it funds from Arab country.