The US and its allies are projecting India as a big market, rapidly developing economy, and Democratic & Secular country.
Purposely projecting India to counter China. While the facts are quite opposite on the ground. Since Prime Minister Modi came into power in 2014, what are changes seen on ground, are given below:
1. Due to extremists activities economic activities has been reduced and investor has lost trust, as a result, India is now suffering from the Highest Unemployment Rate in 45 years (NSSO Data).
2. Intolerance and extremism have resulted in unrest in society and as a result, India is the 5th most dangerous country to live in the world. (Spectator Index)
3. Hygiene, public health, and environment has been ignored as a result, 22 out of 30 most polluted cities in the world are now in India (WHO Data)
4. War craze of the ruling party has made the number of Indian Soldiers died/ killed as highest in 30 years now.
5. Inappropriate policies, the disparity in the distribution of wealth has resulted in as India now has the Highest Income Inequality in 80 years (Credit Suisse Report)
6. Rape has been encouraged in a sense where the state keeps silent or protects the criminals from committing rape. Lack of legislation and protection of criminals involved in rape cases made India the world’s worst country for women. Even foreign tourism females are not spared. (Thomas Reuters Survey)
7. The state policy of oppression the Kashmiris resulted as Kashmiri youth joining militancy is highest in 10 years (Indian Army Data)
8. Undue favors for few chosen and wrong agriculture policies resulted as Indians Farmers suffered Worst Price Crash in 18 years (WPI Data)
9. RSS and extremist ideology caused highest ever Cow related violence and Mob Lynching’s on record after Modi became PM (India Spend Data)
10. Poor and imbalance policies resulted as India is now the World’s Second most Unequal Country (Global Wealth Report)
11. The economic crisis is reflected on currency as Indian Rupee is now Asia’s Worst Performing Currency (Market Data)
12. Government’s focus was on suppressing minorities and promoting violence, Environment has been the most neglected area, as a result, India has become World’s Third Worst Country in Environment Protection (EPI 2018)
13. Poor governance allowed malpractices resulting, the first time in the history of India, foreign funding and corruption is legalized (Finance Bill 2017)
14. Prime Minister Modi is the least accountable Prime Minister in 70 years (First PM to give 0 press conferences)
15. Politicization and nepotism has resulted in the weakening of state institutions and the first time in the history of India, CBI vs CBI, RBI vs Govt, SC vs Govt fights happened because Modi wanted control of all democratic Institutions
16. The state is utilizing Supreme courts for political gains and for the first time in the history of India, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference to say” Democracy is in Danger”
India slips by 10 places in the EIU democracy index 2019, which is the worst in history since the inception of this index in 2006. Owing to ‘Erosion of civil liberties’. India is no longer a democratic state, practicing democracy is not visible at all.
17. State policy is focused on politics only and ignored some very important aspects as a result, for the first time in the history of India, top-secret Defense documents stolen from the Defense Ministry office
18. As state policy Intolerance and Religious Extremism is being promoted and it has reached the highest in 70 years.
19. Unholy media has been corrupted and politicized and Indian Media is now worst in 70 years
20. Due to wrong policies and instability, the poverty has been enhanced and India slips to 102nd rank out of 117 countries in the Global hunger index, we are now behind our neighbors Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. (Global hunger report 2019)
21. Society has been deteriorated and in a first, NCRB report had a criminal delay of 2 years. The crime report for 2017 was released quite recently with certain categories skewed.
22. The economic crisis is so serious that even IMF has raised concerns over our government’s data reporting norms, delays, India’s tax revenue estimates and GDP growth targets. Such data cook-ups amount to setting new precedents to any party who might rule us in the future.
23. Poor Governance in India has witnessed sheer exploitation of power and criminalization of politics
24. As a result of politicization, the Indian Election Commission is completely compromised. Data discrepancy (347 seats) in 2019 LS polls and Election commissioner Ashok Lavasa& family getting grilled by ED thereafter.
25. Self-projection and self-centered policies are visible as Indian PM’s birthday celebrations were set to jeopardize the safety of 32000 families in Malwa&Nimar regions of Madhya Pradesh.
26. Due to the extremist and hate approach and poor governance, India ranked very low on the global social mobility index at 76 out of 82 countries. 79th on fair wage economies, 77th in education quality and equity, 76th in Social protection, 73rd in healthcare. (World economic forum report-2020)
Inequality raised. Opportunities numbed. An individual’s opportunities in life remain tethered to their socio-economic status at birth, entrenching historical inequalities.
27. Suppressing the Right of Self-Determination of Kashmiris and clampdown has caused a whopping loss of over 2.4 billion dollars. Which is growing exponentially.
28. Suppressing the freedom of the press, exchange of information, keeping media blackout, India is the internet shutdown capital of the world-leading with 67% of the total world’s shutdown.
29. Lowest inflow of foreign tourists in the 7 decades, as security situation has been deteriorated and many countries has issues travel advisory. Foreign Governments have restricted their nationals to travel to India.
30. Lowest FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), as the country is passing through instability and uncertainty makes foreign investors to hesitate.
The worst governance, India has ever had in the last 70 years.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.