A re-energised nation moves towards empowerment and mainstreaming of the marginalised

By the time the general elections of 2019 arrived, Narendra Modi’s vision of New India was on track. The vision had been firmly and clearly articulated, its ideationa contours had been laid and its working out on the ground in terms of an accountable and responsive governance had struck a chord and had started leaving an impact on the collective national psyche.

Far from being an illiberal democracy, Modi’s India moved against odds, against a plethora of opposition, against a formidably debilitative false narrative towards the empowerment and mainstreaming of the marginalised. This unceasing action of inclusion heralded the advent of India as an actual liberal democracy: a liberal democracy in which the common citizen, the marginalised and exploited citizen was the real focus of national growth and not a certain political conglomerate or dynasty.

Modi was clear: there were only two classes in India, those who have been empowered, have had the benefit of opportunities and those who have lagged behind, are yet to receive the fruits of development, haven’t been exposed to social equity and justice. It was the duty of the former to empower the latter, to stand by them and to drive them towards equal empowerment and opportunity. This was the real articulation of the aims of a liberal democracy. Propitiating a dynasty, articulating the false ideology and agenda of a class war, parroting the terms and theories of Western liberalism in the Indian context betray an illiberal mindset.

The return of the BJP, the triumph of the narrative of New India in 2019 with enhanced majority clearly indicated that the people had accepted its vision and had joined the march for realising it. The reality of 22 crore beneficiaries of Modi’s New India schemes and projects, all from the hitherto ignored strata of society which had been taken for granted by a certain political class, in effect reflected the transmutation of India into an authentic liberal democracy. The BJP’s victory in 2019 was a recognition and a celebration of that.

It is strange that the supposedly “liberal democracy” said to be in existence before Modi came, never cared to look at or discuss the need for sanitation and toilets, the need for safe and tear-free cooking fuel, a lighted bulb in every remote home, or the necessity of active financial inclusion for those who had never had an occasion for it. How is it that the champions of liberalism had ignored all of these, or were their theories and pronouncements far removed from the realities of real India? Modi had connected with these real realities, his New India vision therefore stood on those foundations. The new polity that is emerging within the evolving New India, is a polity which yearns for accountability and responsiveness, it looks forward to a governance that is creative, decisive, vision driven and goal oriented. Modi’s approach, his action and attitude has responded to that yearning.

The New India’s polity calls for being unequivocal when it comes to India’s national security, it desires unwavering loyalty to India and to her freedom. It opposes demands for India’s disintegration, it has no patience for the mouthpieces of India’s disintegration and expects a resounding response each time these elements rear their heads. Modi has responded to and acted on that legitimate expectation. His New India, is the real liberal republic.