India’s current government is led by the Bharatiya Janta Party or the BJP. It is also the country’s largest national party. It was formed in 1980, though its origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was founded in 1951. The Jana Sangh was closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization that continues to play a significant role in shaping the BJP’s ideology.
The party first came to power at the center in 1996, but its government lasted only 13 days. It returned to power in 1998, forming a coalition under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. His tenure saw India conducting nuclear tests in 1998, economic reforms, and a focus on infrastructure development. However, the BJP lost power in 2004 to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The BJP made a historic comeback in 2014 by securing 282 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha, with Narendra Modi as India’s prime minister. Major policy changes include the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 that criminalized triple talaq in India.
The government’s handling of several protests and crises has faced widespread scrutiny. The 2020–2021 farmer protests, which were sparked by the controversial farm laws that were later repealed, drew significant public attention, with criticism directed at the use of force and the management of the situation. Similarly, the government’s response to the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests raised concerns over its handling of dissent, particularly the use of force. The BJP’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic also attracted criticism, especially regarding the lack of transparency around the death toll, shortages of medical resources like oxygen cylinders, and inadequate preparedness during the second wave.
Additionally, the ongoing inter-tribe conflict in Manipur, which erupted in 2023, has faced criticism for the government’s perceived failure to take adequate action, with accusations of poor crisis management and insufficient intervention in addressing the escalating violence.
Not justifying the deeds of Modi ministers but the context and norms of politics have been totally changed in India. When everyone else is doing it, how can we only call BJP at fault. Your sample selections are skewed. When did last time we heard that Rahul Gandhi visiting temples ? Why such need now ? think more than anyone else, we Indians are responsible for such mess. We shouldn’t tolerate bad things of any political party.
Alas, another zombie dumbhakt. I am sorry for getting personal. But, this is what you BJP apologists deserve.
This were you end when your world of political analysis get reduced to twitter timeline analysis…..substandard even from the print yardstick
Better use could be made of the few effective ministers – Smt Sushma Swaraj was possibly the only foreign minister not present at the G 20 summit in Buenos Aires.
Quoting another line from W.B. Yeats: “..a waste of breath the years ahead, a waste of breath the years behind..” I do not know if Mr Modi will learn any lessons in “years ahead”, but his “years behind” as the PM have surely been a waste. More than recklessness, an insensitivity was apparent in his first major decision, the demonetization. Didn’t he have even the basic imagination to realize how very badly our poor workers and businesses will be affected by it, who earned or paid in cash? Had he landed from the moon? What was that yarn about black money? If he had any sincerity to go after it, what had he done with the Panama Papers? Or what has he done about them even till date? He sends his officers after his political rivals; if Lalu Yadav was corrupt, then why didn’t he also have a look at the Badals and Ram Vilas Paswan of this world?
Mr Modi was only driven by ego and arrogance which came under full glare of everyone when GST was announced. It was announced at midnight in the parliament, and entire parliament was decorated with lights like it was on the night of India’s Independence. The event was touted as the country’s economic independence, whatever that meant. Mr Modi was as if in a hurry to show it off to the world. GST’s success can be gauged from the fact that he doesn’t even mention it now in any of his election speeches.
If the above two decisions can be ascribed to arrogance, his latest big decision, Rafale, even casts aspersions on Mr Modi’s sense of responsibility. Whatever happened to BHARAT MATA’s security? What 128 aircraft could defend, will 36 be able to defend? A lot has been said on the subject of Rafale. I will again ask only two humble questions to Mr Modi:
1) even if Anil Ambani was chosen by Dassault, why did Mr Modi NOT VETO that choice?
2) if Anil Ambani was only one of the 30 partners chosen by Dassault, who are the remaining 29? Is there an L&T, or Tatas or Mahindras in that list who can undertake such big ticket make in India project?
Then, the question of 1000 crores extra per plane is still not answered. Is Mr Modi at all serious about this country, or does he believe that shouting Vande Matram and Bharat Mata ki jai is enough?
very aptly put mr. bhatia