Toronto, Canada Jeffrey S. Ram, Editor April 26, 2024
Courtesy: Manjul | X (formerly Twitter) /@MANJULtoons
Prime Minister Modi’s Bhartiya Janata Party advertisements about the “MODI SARKAR KI GUARANTEE” (Modi Government’s Guarantee) are deceitful. Modi’s unfulfilled promises from the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections prove that his 2024 parliamentary election guarantees cannot be trusted by the voters. While the Modi government has kept some promises, most promises remain unfulfilled.
GUARANTEES AND PROMISES KEPT BY MODI
· THE CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT (CAA)
On Monday, March 11, 2024, just before the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Indian government announced the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
· REVOCATION OF ARTICLE 370 OF THE CONSTITUTION
Article 370 was revoked, and Jammu and Kashmir were divided into two Union territories on August 5, 2019.
· THE BUILDING OF RAM TEMPLE IN AYODHYA
Ayodhya’s Ram Temple was built on the ruins of Babri Masjid and inaugurated on January 22, 2024.
PROMISES AND GUARANTEES NOT FULFILLED BY MODI
MODI NE “JO KAHA WOH NAHIN KIYA” (WHAT MODI SAID, HE DID NOT DO)
Modi promised, "Achche Din Aane Waale Hain" (Good Days Are About To Come). Even after ten years, this promise has yet to materialize. In the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections, Narendra Modi promised to transform India's socio-economic landscape. However, many of these promises still need to be fulfilled, raising questions about the credibility of Modi's guarantees for the 2024 elections.
MODI FAILED IN HIS PROMISE TO PROVIDE A VIBRANT
AND PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
Modi misused central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Income Tax Department to persecute political opponents and break opposition parties. The Modi government’s agencies arrested the chief ministers of Delhi and Jharkhand just before the 2024 parliamentary elections. They also blockaded Congress party funds four weeks before national elections.
When the Modi government abrogated Article 370, it put Kashmir in a lockdown. Modi detained three former chief ministers without charges for six months and then invoked the Public Safety Act to detain them without charges for up to two years.
The V-Dem Report 2024 ranked India 104 out of 179 countries on the Liberal Democracy Index. Since 2018, V-Dem has categorized India as “ELECTORAL AUTOCRACY.”
MODI MISUSES LORD RAM’S NAME TO SEEK VOTE
Using religious symbols to appeal for votes is a “corrupt” practice under Section 123 (3) of the Representative of The People Act,1951. The submissive Election Commission does not stop Modi and BJP’s “corrupt” campaign practices.
MODI INTIMIDATED AND SUBJUGATED MEDIA
Modi’s government terrorized and subjugated most of India’s media owners. Modi obtained unlimited censorship powers by enacting the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023.
Since 2021, Modi’s government has arrested 16 Indian journalists under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA). Many of them are still behind bars. Modi government used Israeli NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in 15 cases to implicate them falsely.
India occupies the low rank of 161 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index 2023. India ranked 150 in 2022.
MODI’S BJP CENTRAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ENCOURAGED ATTACKS ON RELIGIOUS MINORITIES AND PROMOTED HATE MAINLY AGAINST MUSLIMS TO GAIN VOTES
Photo: The demolition of a Muslim’s house in Ujjain
Photo Courtesy: Twitter@KashifKakvi
Photo - Courtesy National Herald: A Muslim victim of RSS and BJP violence.
RSS members parade with the long sticks seen in the first picture.
BJP’s central and state governments permitted Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh and BJP hooligans to attack Muslims and Christians. Police, government officials, and judges also succumbed to the pressure of RSS and BJP goons and governments.
Even though it is illegal to appeal for votes using hate speech, Modi and other BJP leaders are never charged. Are they above the law?
MODI FAILED TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO GIRLS AND WOMEN IN THE BJP-RULED STATES
Photo- Courtesy The Wire: People convicted for rape and murder in the Bilkis Bano case of the 2002 Gujarat riots, being welcomed as they come out of the Godhra sub-jail after Gujarat’s BJP government allowed their release under its remission policy, in Godhra, August 15, 2022.
Modi promised Nari Shakti (women’s power) and enticed voters with the slogan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (save the girl child, educate the girl child)! However, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Rai remained indifferent to the rapes, gang rapes, and parade of naked women in BJP-ruled Manipur.
The “unjustified” release of 11 men who had been convicted of raping Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots and killing 14 members of her family, including her 3-year-old daughter, was a criminal act. Their welcome by the Hindu women was a gross act of shamelessness.
It seems that rapes and murders of girls and women are considered “normal” male entitlements in Modi's India.
Modi enacted a law to provide 33 percent reservation for women without an implementation date commitment.
On the United Nations Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022, India ranks 108 out of 193 countries.
MODI USED CORRUPT PRACTICES TO GAIN AND KEEP POWER
Modi promised to end corruption but bought leaders of opposition parties to bring down opposition governments. Also, when the opposition leaders were charged with corruption by the central agencies, they joined Modi’s BJP party and these agencies withdrew cases against them.
Modi collected money from the government and business corporations for his PM Cares private fund. Later, in 2017, he launched electoral bonds to fund political parties and used government agencies to blackmail businesses into buying BJP Electoral Bonds.
On February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court struck down electoral bonds as unconstitutional.
In Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2023, India ranked 93 out of 180 countries.
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