Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had proclaimed a list of do’s and don’ts for citizens as austerity measures, among which was the need to reduce cars on the road due to fuel exigencies created by the Iran war. But the swearing-in ceremony of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the second time was a spectacular event that violated every exhortation of the PM, except perhaps not travelling abroad and not buying gold. There were thousands of vehicles all bound for Khanapara where the swearing-in was scheduled to happen. The Prime Minister himself with the usual cavalcade followed by chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states and their entourage—including those of the CMs of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram that are aligned with the Party—signalled that the plea to conserve national resources was meant for the governed not the rulers. That swearing- in ceremony was intended to send a message across the region that the BJP would consolidate its position so as not to need coalition partners to stymie its agenda. The politics of appeasement would then give way to the politics of governance with an iron hand.
The expenditure for this event possibly came from many quarters. There were representatives of corporate houses from across the country. They are there to scout for business opportunities. And business usually means infrastructure. But the mandarins at NITI Aayog the country’s planning body have called for a halt to construction activities due to the economic crunch. The semi-conductor contracts are already with the Tatas so what else will drive industry in Assam? Corporate honchos know the answers to the question and also where the money is. A glance at this spectacular event could mislead the audience into believing that everything is sorted in Assam. Himanta Biswa Sarma would have everyone believe that there is no dearth of employment opportunities; that education is on an upward swing and health care is in super-smart condition meaning everyone has access to healthcare services, including people in the distant rural outback.
What is often ignored are the perennial floods and how that problem can be resolved. In the last five years the BJP-led NDA government of Assam was said to have not only provided good governance but also strengthened the borders to curb illegal immigration even while suspected immigrants were pushed across the Bangladesh border under the cover of darkness. But with eternal vigilance being an uncommon currency how does Assam know those pushed out would not re-enter under the cover of more darkness? Politics today is hugely performative and there are too few in the media to critique such an ostentatious display of extravaganza. Those running the show have carefully curated which media houses would cover the event and amplify the noise and show. Today India is known for its personality driven politics led by no less than the Prime Minister himself. This trend is unlikely to change anytime soon. What’s surprising was the presence of the US Ambassador at the swearing-in of the Assam CM. Since when did diplomats involve themselves in political spectacles of this nature? But no one will ask these questions for to question is to be anti-national.
