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 The 2020–2021 farmer protests, which were sparked by the controversial farm laws that were later repealed, drew significant public attention, with criticism directed at the use of force and the management of the situation.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.
Kumar Kehkar like journalist have lost their relevance in present dispensation that is why he is confused.They were enjoying govt hospitality at the cost of taxpayers money which has been stopped completely.India is fortunate to have such a selfless, hard-working,honest P M which like of Ketkar been made confused
Modi Ji not only the prime minister of India he become a brand in the world
Indecisiveness is performance of brutal majority of the rulers and political vendetta cases against political opponents order of the day by misusing government enforcement agencies.
To add to the list of confusions that Mr Ketkar has mentioned, I would say, half in jest and half in seriousness, that post-2019 elections, ACHHE DIN AANE-WALE HAIN !!
No, I do not say this because I expect a superlative leadership after Mr Modi vacates the PM seat. Yet I expect better days for the country because I foresee Mr Modi becoming more of a writer and thinker than remaining in the sweat-and-grime type of politics. We must remember that he was never a street-fighter type of politician. He was an RSS Pracharak for better part of his past occupation. That job must have well suited his oratorical skills. From there he straight jumped into the CM seat in Gujarat where destiny made him into a more noticeable Chief Minister than many others in equivalent positions in other states. And the progression of good fortune or deserving accolades continued, and he came to be where he is now. The 2019 defeat of the BJP will put a brake on that run.
Mr Modi’s distancing himself from active politics will have sobering effect on many enthusiasts of Hinduism who have run berserk in last few years putting a question mark on the efficacy of entire law and order apparatus of the state. It wasn’t that they were running amok on Mr Modi’s bidding, but because they were feeling encouraged by Mr Modi’s silence on their shenanigans. Well, ‘shenanigans’ sounds a mild word, so let me say, their ‘murderous exploits’. In sum total, Mr Modi will have to live with trenchant thoughts in his new avatar of a writer and thinker that he alone was responsible for anarchy during his rule of five years. If he had unquestioned authority, he also had unambiguous answerability.
This sobering effect on the Hindutva rank and file will help many heave a big sigh of relief — which will be a major component of the new “achhe din”! Like coming out of jail and breathing in fresh air! As for the other components of “good days”, a lack of draconian decisions like demonetization and perpetual eye of suspicion and vindictiveness on businesses will gradually bring them on an even keel. And we will trudge back to normalcy, at least towards where we were in 2014. In hindsight, those were “achhe din”, weren’t they?!
The article itself is in contradiction of various views and confused. Try to think as a common man without any party ideologies, then only one can understand of happenings.
Thought provoking.. The reasons of confusions in the mind have be clearly touched upon. Borrowing Amul’s AD punchline, “I am clearly utterly butterly confused…” “