Modi needs to match words with deeds

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started his second year with a reasonably positive track record. He, however, faces four clear challenges that he needs to urgently address if he aspires for a second term. First, the biggest challenge he faces is with regard to the aspirations and expectations of domestic constituencies, business and industry - and from the international community. UPA 2 had regrettably earned the tab of 'stand-still governance'. Both within India and abroad, there was clear frustration at the manner in which UPA-2 demonstrated utter disregard for India's future.

When Modi spoke of better days, it was hugely appealing to a population that had only seen the Indian economy slide for five years. In the biography of individuals, five years can be an interminably long period. As the past one year has demonstrated, this is a Herculean task and constitutes a significant challenge for the Prime Minister and his cabinet. If the second year of his governance does not show a positive turnaround, the Opposition and the international community would, most certainly, dub him as being high on intentions and low on delivery.

The second challenge is that the yardstick of good governance is verifiable translation of promises. Today, there appears to be - at least in terms of perceptions - a serious shortfall between promises and delivery. Consider, similarly, the strong manner in which the government has made its intentions clear with regard to zero-tolerance towards corruption. With the repeated allegations of corruption during the previous regime, this anti-corruption move has been largely welcomed.

However, corruption cases, as we all know, are difficult to prove and where, indeed, traps have successfully ensnared officials and others, these are few and far to have any significant impact in curtailing prevalent levels of corruption. Focus on Swiss bank accounts, while important, ignores how deeply corruption has become an integral part of our everyday biography. The third challenge is from his cabinet and party colleagues.

At one level, clearly irresponsible statements by many of his party members have been a cause of serious concern because of the manner in which they have been perceived as imposing a Hindutva agenda and challenging the secular fabric of India. More serious is the manner in which chest-thumping took place after the Special Forces' action in Myanmar, especially because words of bravado and public boasting, including threats to neighbouring countries, were made by those who were clearly not directly in the know of the things.

Bizarrely, it has became a media circus with wild statements and hypothetical threats. Modi needs to recognize that his cabinet colleagues lack maturity and understanding. Unless he is able to curb their enthusiasm for making press statements, his own credibility is likely to be seriously undermined. Modi has given sufficient evidence to demonstrate that he possesses all the tools to be a master tactician and strategist.

But as Capablanca, the great chess genius advised, “Play chess backwards; start from the endgame.” Strategies and tactics or 'the how' works only when you first have clarity on “the why” and “the what.” After a year of governance, sadly, the Prime Minister appears to have been so fascinated by his own style that he has mistaken it for content. This is his fourth challenge and one which is self imposed.

By Amit Dasgupta