By Dr Dalip Khetarpal
With a very keen perception, observation, updated knowledge, objectivity, panache, balance and in all fairness, Phidalia Toi, a renowned writer, composer and filmmaker of Meghalaya, picturesquely and insightfully depicted both the positive and negative aspects of the picture of the three phases of Narendra Modi’s government as has been run by him for more than three years through three books — The Dawn, The Morning and The Afternoon.
While the first two unfolded the first and second phases of Modi’s rule respectively, The Afternoon elucidates the mid-phase of the government. However, it is really praiseworthy that the visionary, insightful and devoted author is hell-bent on accomplishing her task of assessing the performance of the whole five-year term of the government through two more books that have in advance already been symbolically entitled, The Evening and The Dusk.
With a historic mandate when Modi’s saffron juggernaut rode to power in May 2014, every wretched common man thought of witnessing some glorious and promising near future in many crucial spheres of life as promised by him. Investors hoped for a business-friendly government, while 125 crore Indians, one-third of whom are below the poverty line, aspired for more jobs, affordable life and the coveted promised ‘acche din’.
In The Afternoon, i.e. the mid-term of Modi’s government, the seriously hopeful author who has been deeply concerned with the welfare of the nation, endeavours to subtly scrutinise and boldly reveal the true extent of the delivery of Modi’s tall poll promises. She could vividly see that statistics, as showcased by the government, are different from the ground reality at places.
With all fairness, wisdom, deep insight and foresight, Toi probes, evaluates and analyses every inch of the working of the government and releases a detailed progress report of its performance realistically and analytically through her illuminative and informative magnum opus The Afternoon.
The Brighter Side of the Govt
Toi, blessed with bifocal vision and penetrating insight, can easily perceive both the bright and dark sides of Modi’s governance unbiasedly, with great clarity. After whatever has been seen, felt and proved in The Dawn and The Dusk, she could see how the Prime Minister, in The Afternoon realised that ‘noontime temperature’s scourge was bearable because the earth needed a tangible change’. For that, he had to accelerate the speed of socio-economic progress and induce revolutionary changes in many other areas of life too, so that when the nation enters the fourth phase, it should get relief from the ‘searing hot pain of surgery’. The author quite reasonably feels that the approaching evening i.e. the fourth year of the govt. would be the opportune time to assess its output as well as that of all the previous years jointly and on the basis of this approach, there could be also a possible anticipation of the performance of the dusk i.e. the end of the term of the rule which would be resurrected only after fresh elections in 2019.
As keenly observed by Toi, Narendra Modi’s government has taken a number of initiatives and measures to directly impact the common man. Make in India was announced to ensure that MNCs implement their plans in such a way that employment is generated and contribute vitally to the economy.
Though often been criticised by the opposition for many foreign tours, none can deny that Modi’s foreign tours have made many friends and won the hearts of greatest diplomats and leaders like Donald Trump, Barak Obama, Shinzo Abe, Benjamin Netanyahu, Edouard Philippe, Ashraf Ghani and many more for his country. It was because of his influence and dynamic leadership that UAE criticized Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
Setbacks and Pitfalls
Toi, while observing the rosy picture as portrayed by the government, is also alive and awake to its squalor and grimness. The statistical analysis of Toi reveals that glaring deficiencies and flaws still remain. The government claims to be clean and progressive sans any corruption taint on it. While in reality, some glaring, some faint and some imperceptible taints are surely present in the system.
Corruption sees no respite even in the afternoon of Modi’s governance and Shah seems to be correct when once, perhaps, out of disappointment, depicted the Govt. as one of jumla. Vadra is still a free man though Modi promised to imprison him within 100 days of assuming office. 15 lakhs, as promised by the PM, have not been credited in anyone’s bank account till date, as promised. The govt. has also failed to put a lid on the mysterious death of the judge, B H Loya who was hearing the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case wherein Shah was an accused.
Demonetisation, an offbeat initiative by the PM, witnessed labourers and the general public (sans black money) queuing up at cashless ATMs, further resulting in many innocent deaths that saw no compensation or relief by the demonetiser. It also adversely affected ‘micro and small establishments employing 127.7 million workers’; GDP declined by around 2 percent. Though farmers were allowed to use Rs 500 banned notes for their transactions, they still had to sell their produce at prices much lower than the approved prices because due to demonetisation, demand decreased. Pathetically, even after 70 years of freedom, agriculture has no assured irrigation facilities and so, has to depend on the whims of monsoon.
Toi has written The Afternoon with commendable honesty. The phenomenal book vividly highlights her breadth of vision, the mellowness of perception, insightfulness and precise reading and comprehension of the existing socio¬political and economic reality as seen in the current set-up. It must surely have been an enlightening experience for all those who read it. At least, it was for me!
Book: The Afternoon: Marathon Race To Acche Din Part 3; Author: Phidalia Toi; Publisher: Evincepub Publishing; Price: Rs 161
(The author is a poet, critic, editor and
columnist. The full review of the book first
appeared in the journal Contemporary
Literary Review India)