Modi�s image as a doer has taken a hit. From being a leader who held the promise of transforming India, Modi can ill afford to be seen as an �if and but� Prime Minister

Prime Minister Modi : Falling short of expectations ?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has missed a first rate opportunity of getting the better of his critics. At the same time, he lost the first mover advantage too.
The recently concluded Independence Day, the second for Modi as Prime Minister, could have been eventful. His speech may have fallen short of the histrionics that ornated his last year’s speech, but on content Modi could have scored and won kudos. He would have also, with one single stroke, won over hundreds of servicemen demanding one rank one pension.
The armed forces veterans have demanded one rank, one pension. Simply put this means same pension, for same rank and for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement from the Indian Armed Forces.
The OROP, as it is popularly known was terminated in 1973 causing disquiet among service personnel. Following a report by fact finding Committee some four years ago it was found that the demand of OROP had merit and it was bureaucratic apathy and resistance that was the stumbling block. The Manmohan Singh government gave it a go-by. It was the BJP and none other than Narendra Modi, then Prime Ministerial candidate, who had declared that if elected the BJP government would implement the OROP. Therefore after the BJP has come to power, the demand that had earlier died down, became vociferous. It was expected that Modi would announce the OROP roll out in his Independence Day address this year but his failure to do so had led to protests taking the form of indefinite hunger strikes.
This year on the eve of Independence Day, protesting ex servicemen and their wives were forcibly evicted as a security measure from the protest sites. Not the ones to give up hope, they expected that the Prime Minister would make an announcement from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day address. In fact many retired personnel were heard saying that they had faith in Prime Minister Modi and that he would not let them down.
Modi, however, fell short of expectations. He did not announce the roll out except to repeat that his government is committed to its implementation.
On this, Modi has clearly slipped up: both in terms of his commitment and the timing. He sure spoke about the OROP but did not signal a roll out. There are, he indicated, technical issues that need to be resolved and once done, the OROP would be a reality. That was as far as he went: slammed as a sham by his critics.
Servicemen cried foul, went on a hunger strike that led to some being hospitalized. The government did move in with another reassurance yet again but the results were a naught. Meetings have followed but there seems no solution in sight. Now even if the roll out were to happen, it would be attributed more to the hunger strike by servicemen rather than the Government’s intent or initiative to give what has been a long-standing demand of retired personnel. In other words, the credit would go to the never say die spirit of agitators rather than the government’s will.
Timing is, as is well known, very important in politics. Therefore if one does not strike at the opportune time, it loses advantage. Few understand this better than an astute politician like Modi. Add to this the fact that he is one who believes in the sanctity of deadlines. Therefore for him to let an opportunity slip by goes against his grain both as a politician and a person who is deadline driven.
Consequently, for Modi not to make the crucial announcement when all eyes were on him is clearly a case of missing the woods for the trees. It is also one where an alert and agile Prime Minister like him who is ever willing to crack the whip was caught napping. For him to ask for “more time” from the soldiers as he did, is neither his style nor language. Or for him to say that the OROP was a "complex issue, vexed issue",  Tardiness and Modi do not go together. Nor do deferring issues or accepting excuses. He is the kind of man who means business and wants work done.
A recent example is the Land Boundary Agreement ratification between India and Bangladesh. Modi had planned to visit Bangladesh with the gift of the LBA: an agreement languishing for decades. He was hell bent on delivering it on Bangladesh soil and was unwilling to accept technical or political delays on the contentious issue. Equally it is true, that unlike the OROP, the Government needed Opposition support, which was not easy to come by. The LBA, as is well known, required a constitutional amendment to be a reality. Modi gave instructions, set a deadline and ensured that it happened: an arduous task. Modi gave Bangladesh what his predecessors had failed to. That apart he gave it in record time of his taking over: within a year.
In comparison, the OROP is a molehill against the LBA mountain. It does not need Parliament, it does not need Opposition support and it does not require a constitutional amendment. It requires the Government’s will to see it through. It needs an intention to honour its commitment, it means cutting red tape, bypassing bureaucratic objections and seeing it done. That is why when protesting service personnel said that they would not meet bureaucrats but have faith on Prime Minister, it rang true.
Strangely, Modi is dithering. That there are issues in seeing OROP through is a given. Was Modi determined to make this announcement on Independence Day and gift to the servicemen the OROP like he had the LBA to Bangladesh, there was no stopping him. Of course the hunger strike has speeded the process and the government is addressing the issue with urgency but Modi has clearly missed the bus.
He has messed up the timing. Rather than leading with an announcement on Independence Day, his government has come across as one compelled by circumstances to act: circumstances created by agitators and their protests. This has also reduced Modi to a leader caged in rules of governance: a kind of a status quoist instead of one who would go against the flow if need be.
The OROP may be just one of the many things that remain to be done. The failure to deliver may be symbolic. Governance does not necessarily mean instant delivery at the doorstep. Some things do take time and sensitivities of all concerned need to be taken into account. So in one sense Modi could be given a benefit of doubt.
That notwithstanding, Modi’s image as a doer has taken a hit. The OROP is not a yardstick to judge governance but failure to implement it, is surely an indication that Modi could succumb to compulsions of governance. It is this perception that Modi as Prime Minister needs to safeguard himself against. From being a leader who held the promise of transforming India, Modi can ill afford to be seen as an “if and but” Prime Minister.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

 

Modi�s image as a doer has taken a hit. From being a leader who held the promise of transforming India, Modi can ill afford to be seen as an �if and but� Prime Minister

Prime Minister Modi : Falling short of expectations ?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has missed a first rate opportunity of getting the better of his critics. At the same time, he lost the first mover advantage too. The recently concluded Independence Day, the second for Modi as Prime Minister, could have been eventful. His speech may have fallen short of the histrionics that ornated his last years speech, but on content Modi could have scored and won kudos. He would have also, with one single stroke, won over hundreds of servicemen demanding one rank one pension. The armed forces veterans have demanded one rank, one pension. Simply put this means same pension, for same rank and for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement from the Indian Armed Forces. The OROP, as it is popularly known was terminated in 1973 causing disquiet among service personnel. Following a report by fact finding Committee some four years ago it was found that the demand of OROP had merit and it was bureaucratic apathy and resistance that was the stumbling block. The Manmohan Singh government gave it a go-by. It was the BJP and none other than Narendra Modi, then Prime Ministerial candidate, who had declared that if elected the BJP government would implement the OROP. Therefore after the BJP has come to power, the demand that had earlier died down, became vociferous. It was expected that Modi would announce the OROP roll out in his Independence Day address this year but his failure to do so had led to protests taking the form of indefinite hunger strikes. This year on the eve of Independence Day, protesting ex servicemen and their wives were forcibly evicted as a security measure from the protest sites. Not the ones to give up hope, they expected that the Prime Minister would make an announcement from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day address. In fact many retired personnel were heard saying that they had faith in Prime Minister Modi and that he would not let them down. Modi, however, fell short of expectations. He did not announce the roll out except to repeat that his government is committed to its implementation. On this, Modi has clearly slipped up: both in terms of his commitment and the timing. He sure spoke about the OROP but did not signal a roll out. There are, he indicated, technical issues that need to be resolved and once done, the OROP would be a reality. That was as far as he went: slammed as a sham by his critics. Servicemen cried foul, went on a hunger strike that led to some being hospitalized. The government did move in with another reassurance yet again but the results were a naught. Meetings have followed but there seems no solution in sight. Now even if the roll out were to happen, it would be attributed more to the hunger strike by servicemen rather than the Governments intent or initiative to give what has been a long-standing demand of retired personnel. In other words, the credit would go to the never say die spirit of agitators rather than the governments will. Timing is, as is well known, very important in politics. Therefore if one does not strike at the opportune time, it loses advantage. Few understand this better than an astute politician like Modi. Add to this the fact that he is one who believes in the sanctity of deadlines. Therefore for him to let an opportunity slip by goes against his grain both as a politician and a person who is deadline driven. Consequently, for Modi not to make the crucial announcement when all eyes were on him is clearly a case of missing the woods for the trees. It is also one where an alert and agile Prime Minister like him who is ever willing to crack the whip was caught napping. For him to ask for more time from the soldiers as he did, is neither his style nor language. Or for him to say that the OROP was a complex issue, vexed issue, Tardiness and Modi do not go together. Nor do deferring issues or accepting excuses. He is the kind of man who means business and wants work done. A recent example is the Land Boundary Agreement ratification between India and Bangladesh. Modi had planned to visit Bangladesh with the gift of the LBA: an agreement languishing for decades. He was hell bent on delivering it on Bangladesh soil and was unwilling to accept technical or political delays on the contentious issue. Equally it is true, that unlike the OROP, the Government needed Opposition support, which was not easy to come by. The LBA, as is well known, required a constitutional amendment to be a reality. Modi gave instructions, set a deadline and ensured that it happened: an arduous task. Modi gave Bangladesh what his predecessors had failed to. That apart he gave it in record time of his taking over: within a year. In comparison, the OROP is a molehill against the LBA mountain. It does not need Parliament, it does not need Opposition support and it does not require a constitutional amendment. It requires the Governments will to see it through. It needs an intention to honour its commitment, it means cutting red tape, bypassing bureaucratic objections and seeing it done. That is why when protesting service personnel said that they would not meet bureaucrats but have faith on Prime Minister, it rang true. Strangely, Modi is dithering. That there are issues in seeing OROP through is a given. Was Modi determined to make this announcement on Independence Day and gift to the servicemen the OROP like he had the LBA to Bangladesh, there was no stopping him. Of course the hunger strike has speeded the process and the government is addressing the issue with urgency but Modi has clearly missed the bus. He has messed up the timing. Rather than leading with an announcement on Independence Day, his government has come across as one compelled by circumstances to act: circumstances created by agitators and their protests. This has also reduced Modi to a leader caged in rules of governance: a kind of a status quoist instead of one who would go against the flow if need be. The OROP may be just one of the many things that remain to be done. The failure to deliver may be symbolic. Governance does not necessarily mean instant delivery at the doorstep. Some things do take time and sensitivities of all concerned need to be taken into account. So in one sense Modi could be given a benefit of doubt. That notwithstanding, Modis image as a doer has taken a hit. The OROP is not a yardstick to judge governance but failure to implement it, is surely an indication that Modi could succumb to compulsions of governance. It is this perception that Modi as Prime Minister needs to safeguard himself against. From being a leader who held the promise of transforming India, Modi can ill afford to be seen as an if and but Prime Minister. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])