Sneha Chakaravarthy

Once again, the opposition finds itself divided against the formidable BJP

In the world’s biggest election, nearly 1 billion Indians will select their next government, Modi is seeking a hattrick term as the Indian prime minister, while the opposition is attempting to make a comeback. Many opinion pre-poll surveys predict that, PM Modi’s party BJP and its allies (NDA) will clinch over 350+ seats in the upcoming general election. Is Modi and Amit Shah, an unstoppable force? The opposition has demonstrated weakness and ineffectiveness, which has allowed the ruling party to establish itself as an authoritarianism.

Narendra Modi’s legacy is marked by remarkable accomplishments, but there’s a lingering question that demands an answer, has he ever admitted to his faults? While he may not have publicly acknowledged his weaknesses, his actions have spoken volumes. It’s time to ask ourselves, are the developments he boasts of genuine? These questions have not been raised by the opposition parties. In a democracy, constructive criticism is necessary, and the opposition’s role is to point out flaws in the ruling government. However, the opposition’s single-minded focus on taking down Modi, even if it means shaking hands with enemy counterparts. It is time for them to change their strategy.

The opposition must focus on addressing governance issues and presenting a vision of stability and hope to the people. This approach will help bring them to an equal footing and raise pertinent questions in people’s minds. Effective opposition is not about attacking the ruling government at every opportunity but, about presenting a credible alternative to the people. There are several policy and political issues in the BJP government. These are worth discussing by the opposition that could give an unblinded perspective to the people of India.

The demonetization initiative of 2016 aimed to curb illegal activities such as black marketing and financial crimes. However, despite withdrawing 86% of the currency, the scheme failed to meet its objectives. While the central bank asserts that 99.3% of notes were returned, the remaining 0.7% remains a topic of concern.

The Electoral Bonds introduced by the ruling party in 2018 are nothing more than a political funding mechanism. Evidence suggests that the BJP has been meticulously collecting party funds via Electoral Bonds, virtually forcing its donors to pay up by conducting IT and ED Raids. Most of the funds collected appear to be via extortion, with crores even being collected with missing donor data.

The state of Manipur, ruled by the BJP, has been facing a grave situation since May 2023. Repeated clashes between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic communities have left the region in a state of turmoil. Sadly, the central government’s inability to maintain peace and failure to mitigate violence is a clear indication of their lack of interest and indifference to the plight of the people of Manipur. The people of Manipur deserve better than silence and indifference from their leaders. It’s unfortunate that the rest of the country often overlooks the Northeast region of India, but this cannot excuse the government’s inaction in responding to critical issues such as rape, high unemployment, increasing poverty rates and armed insurgencies.

The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) has been a subject of controversy, leading to protests across India. While the Act endeavours to provide citizenship to the religious minorities who have faced persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, it raises a pressing question: how will the government accommodate refugees in a country with a population of 1.42 billion and a 6.57% unemployment rate? It is crucial to consider the practical implications of this law to ensure that, the refugees are not left in a vulnerable position just like any other citizens of our country.

Despite the government’s efforts to create jobs, unemployment and underemployment continue to be major challenges in India. Highly qualified individuals are often forced to work in jobs that do not match their qualifications. For instance, more than one-third of food delivery transporters have higher education but cannot find jobs in their field. This is a waste of talent and potential that India cannot afford.

Moreover, the lack of job opportunities has led many young people to look for work elsewhere, even if it means fighting in the Russian-Ukraine war. It is a shame that Indians have to fight for a nation that is not their own, because they cannot find work at home. This should not be the reality for young people in India.

Finally, poverty continues to be a major issue in India. Although the poverty rate has dropped slightly, still nearly 5% Indians live in poverty, struggling to make ends meet. We cannot forget about these people as we discuss the CAA. In conclusion, the implementation of the CAA requires careful consideration due to various factors, including inflation and a high cost of living.

Has the opposition done enough to scrutinize and expose all the flaws of the ruling party to the people, including flaws about Modi’s ministers? Regrettably, the answer is no. The recent incidents have caused us to question our support for the opposition. We need to ask ourselves if the Modi government is using the Government agencies to silence the opposition. With the upcoming elections, tensions are high, and several incidents suggest that the answer to that question is yes, some of these incidents includes:

The recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), less than a month before voting began, on charges of granting liquor licenses, has raised eyebrows. This is the first instance in independent India that a ruling Chief Minister has been arrested, and it doesn’t bode well for the Aam Aadmi Party, which Kejriwal heads. Moreover, Kejriwal’s deputy, Manish Sisodia, has been in custody for over a year on similar charges. Several others AAP leaders have also been arrested in connection with the same liquor scam.

BRS legislator K. Kavitha, who is the daughter of the former Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao, has been arrested by the CBI for her alleged involvement in a corruption case related to the Delhi Excise policy scam. The ED’s parallel case has identified her as one of the “key conspirators.” She was also arrested just a month before the election and is currently under judicial custody.

The ED has made another arrest in Jharkhand. The former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, who belongs to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party, has been arrested in connection with a money laundering case and an alleged land scam case. Following his arrest, his sister-in-law, who is also the daughter-in-law of the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has joined the BJP party.

ED is conducting raids at multiple places of Trinamool Congress leaders, alleging TMC leader were involved in money laundering scam. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee alleged that BJP is misusing the Government agencies to harass the opposition leaders.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is called “Drug Marketing Kazhagam” by BJP. Jaffer Sadiq, a functionary of DMK’s NRI wing and someone known to be a close associate of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son, has been accused of using the money he earned through drug trafficking to make generous donations to the party and the government. However, his recent arrest in connection with the seizure of narcotic substances worth ₹2,000 crore has raised questions about his actions and those of the DMK party.

There are corruption allegations against the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, who belongs to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He and his daughter are being investigated for involvement in the monthly payment scam case. The Karuvannur Co-operative Bank scandal is a recent example of a left-wing scam in which the CPM allegedly looted people’s money openly. These incidents have shed light on new patterns of corruption emerging in the political landscape of Kerala. The Prime Minister spoke about these issues in his campaigns.

The Indian National Congress has been dealt a severe blow. Its bank accounts have been frozen over a tax dispute from 2018. This move has seriously hindered the party’s ability to conduct its election campaigning fairly. To add insult to injury, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was slapped with a two-year jail sentence on defamation charges, suspended later by the Indian Supreme Court.

It is time for the opposition to present a compelling alternative to the current government instead of relying on empty rhetoric. If the opposition campaigns on the relevant issues concerning the people, they can retain a level of trust and reliability. However, currently, the opposition seems to be engaged in a battle that they are unlikely to win. Even if they put forth a convincing argument against the government in power, the outcome will likely be all glitter and no gold, besides their usual anti-Modi slogan. Furthermore, the opposition is in disarray and lacking unity, which has led to a lack of confidence in them, even from their own party.

It is crucial for the people of India to make an informed decision on their vote. Recent and past opinions suggest that voting for the opposition may not be the best course of action as they are believed to be a sinking ship. It is imperative to consider such thoughts before casting a ballot, as we all want a brighter future for our nation.

As the election draws closer, it’s clear that the opposition has failed to provide a compelling reason for the people of India to vote for them. Instead of presenting a solid plan, the opposition has resorted to the overused tactic of being ‘anti-Modi’. It’s worth asking: Why only target Modi? Is there a Prime Minister candidate who can compete against Modi?

Undoubtedly, there have been more than a few incidents, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the opposition lacks credibility. With the dynamic duo of Modi and Amit Shah at the helm, the BJP is firmly in control and poised for a resounding victory. The BJP is surging ahead with an unstoppable momentum, leaving its competitors trailing far behind. With the upcoming election just around the corner, it’s evident that the BJP is perfectly positioned to emerge victorious once again and Modi will be sworn as Prime Minister of India, third time.