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Covid-19 crisis is not an ordinary crisis. History will always remember the gravitas and disaster of the crisis. Books will be written on it, movies will be made on it and history text books will always have a chapter on it. I wonder what will be the name of the chapter, The Covid calamity? The viral apocalypse? Or The model for failed governance?
2014 saw a historic mandate when BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi won elections with majority. Single party got majority on its own after 30 long years. Some hailed Modi’s charisma, Some his great campaigning skills, some thought (including L.K Advani) its the result of the double anti incumbency against the Congress party, but most gave credit to his developmental agenda and good governance model which he called as “Gujarat Model”. In every interview, he spoke about it, Every answer of him had a reference of Gujarat Model. He gave a slogan ‘Acche din aayenge’ (Good days will come) which became immensely popular. He made audience raise the same slogan in his first speech after huge win.
Some called it Tsunami, some Moditva but everybody was hopeful that a good change will come, even his greatest critics.
His cabinet also looked impressive and unconventional with Arun Jaitley as finance minister, Sushma Swaraj as minister for external affairs, Nitin Gadkari as road transport minister and Rajnath Singh as home minister. Media called it progressive cabinet as 6 women were given cabinet berths and got important portfolios such as EAM, Hrd, Water resources, Commerce etc. Many called it young cabinet as no minister were above 75 years of age.
His first decision as the head of state ( Prime minister elect) was to call the heads of state of all the SAARC countries which was innovative and was hailed as a great start.
His foreign and defence policy was equally admired and criticised but his economic policies were highly criticised in his first term.
Demonetization was a blunder which took about a hundred lives and caused huge loss to economy and complicated GST is still an issue of debate. He handled his foreign policy with a lot maturity with his highly abled minister Swaraj.
He won 2019 boasting about the February 26 Balakot air strikes carried out to avenge Pulwana terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred. He did a lot of mistakes in first term but managed to pull off 2019 general election with a larger majority.
He overcame every hurdle, came out stronger, became more and more popular and his popularity ratings were undiminished. He can do no wrong said his supporters. He is master of image building said his detractors. He was called Ajay (invincible).
His second term will complete two years this month and perhaps everything is going to change from now on.
His party faced loss in most state election after 2019 and with him being the face of West Bengal elections and its embarrassing defeat, he is no more Ajay (invincible).
The Covid 19 crisis is not just India’s biggest crisis after independence but it is also Modi’s biggest challenge in his long political career to overcome this crisis and come out stronger.
With loss in so many state elections, his self declared victory against the first wave of Covid 19, highly inefficient cabinet and most of his experienced colleagues, friends and administrative advisors like Jaitley and Parrikar passing away, His political immunity was already weak when Covid-19 attacked India in its second wave and he being criticized internationally.
Covid-19 is extremely lethal when immunity is weak, when you don’t have experienced doctors to give you proper advice and specially when you don’t take it seriously.
All these factors in political context are extremely lethal even for Modi’s image and BJP’s political fortunes.
Modi is indeed the most popular national leader in the country. He can still win a national election but his image of being strong leader, a mature crisis manager, his model of governance, his inability to work smoothly with chief ministers and cabinet ministers is going to cost him and image of his government a hugely.
Even the most vocal online and offline supporters of BJP are criticizing and questioning the government, news reports of RSS being unhappy with the government came first time since Modi became PM.
Prime minister Modi is known to be very interested in academics of school students.
His “preesksha pe charcha’ (discussion on exams) event and his books on art of exam writing is evidence of his interest.
I am sure he doesn’t want the chapter on Covid-19 crisis in books of future generation of our kids be named as the model for failed governance.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.
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