When a nation is in the face of an acute pandemic and a sense of despair andhopelessness seems to pervade the social sentiments and spirit, as a huge sense of relief comes the announcement of a massive economic package. This proves beyond doubt that ourHonourable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is far from being a irresolute and a novice leader of the nation. It is only in period of an acute and grim crisis when the entire nation looks up to the leader of the nation for a ray of hope and relief, Modi has more than lived up to the occasion. As a true and a committed leader Modi from time to time during a span of six years of his dynamic rule has demonstrated his ardent love for his countrymen via the adoption of timely and well appropriate economic policies. This acceptance has been reassured when his present announcement is considered as an apt opportunity for the practical application of his devotion towards his country-men. The package has to be diagnosed not only as an economic weapon to counter the present economic maladies but when seen in a larger perspective it reflects the ardent nationalistic spirit of Mr. Modi and his powerful vision to rejuvenate our economy. He has in-fact today acquainted us with possibilities of enhancing larger economic reconstruction with the key emphasis being on self-reliance. Such would be the situation in the long term that the benefits would ultimately percolate down to the constructive rehabilitation of our village life and timely improve their standard of living, instilling in them a spirit of self-help and self-dependency.
As a glaring example of a leader in action, Modi has persistently upheld, formulated and implemented social and economic policieswhich are of immediate application and his present approach is no different. We must all agree that Modi beyond doubt is taking our country towards a path of greater nationalisation where the panacea for economic ills would be on creating favourable grounds for swadeshi goods. During the course of the present pandemic Modi has from time to time called upon our people to make use of ‘Gamchha’, a common name of towel which is its anglicised version and reliance on Ayurvedic medicines. Such an approach would in the long run augment large scale production of native goods and go a longway to respond to the increasing problems of unemployment and ensure the absorbtion of our increasing labour force, starting from the lowest levels helping to promote in the process the higher and finer pursuits of their minds. Such an outlook makes all the more sense and proves meaningful beyond doubt especially in the present situation. In-fact PM Modi’s timely emphasis on the revamping of our economy via the promotion of indigenousindustries proclaims in strong words his intention to offer a practical and permanentsolution to the problem of chronic idleness. Revival and encouragement of swadeshi goods would help the teeming mass of our country to supplement their meagre income from land and make a productive use of their labour.
A contemplative investigation of Modi’s political wisdom and calculations would lead us to believe that his call for an accentuation of our own industries signals the strengthening of the principle of enlightened patriotism. Too much relianceon imported items has proved ruinous to the present generation, making our youth distant from their glorious past and making them oblivious about their rich heritage. Modi’s belief on self-reliance is meant to make our people conscious of their inherent power and capabilities. Modi’s economic plans which has truly manifested in present times marks him as a nationalist, an activist and a “Karam Yogi” who takes pride in being an Indian and practising and preaching Indianness ‘Sab Ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas’ stands for Modi’s firm belief that ideological disputes are a luxury which our poor and under privileged brethren cannot afford at any juncture of time and our country should adopt such policies which ensures wholesome benefits to our population.Hence Modi has always stood for negotiation and harmony as a mode of his political endeavours.
The central concern of our Prime Minister is to make the people increasingly conscious of their age old economic traditions and common destiny. Deriving strong inspiration from Swami Vivekananda, Modi’s logic of making small and cottage industries the core of our economy, seems to clearly reflect Vivekananda’s call for inculcating faith in individual abilities and instilling in them a strong sense of self-reliance. Vivekananda had given a stead fast call to his country men to be their own help and not rely on an external impositions, material or otherwise. I strongly feel that this essence of Vivekananda’s man making process where every individual is called upon to bring forth his dormant abilities and cooperate with the government finds apt reflection in Modi’s approach to deal with diverse situations. His present economic package with Swadeshi holding its sway is infact the beginning of a systematic and concrete programme to restructure the working of the economy in a way that would create conditions which the assertion of individual dignity actually calls for. Such an attitude would help unleash a strong and unending flow of home made goods, catering to the requirements of all sections of our population. This would gradually reduce the hegemonic hold of cheap and substandard quality imported goods on the society. With the production of more and more indigenous goods various economic groups would begin to positively redefine their relations with state, capital, the market and with the society at large.
We must all agree in one voice that Modi’s present economic policy with an unambiguous thrust on small scale and indigenous industries will in the long run strengthen the bond of civic society with the political society so much so that the structure of power would be more acceptable and more legitimate. The logic of such predicament is that the people both at the periphery and main stream levels would then begin to identify themselves and their wellbeing with their own nation –something which a continuous and increasing reliance on imported goods had made it fade away. This is alsobound to significantly expandthe space for that unifying spirit called nationalism and patriotism. This is because of the fact that as our countrymen begin to acclimatise themselves and increasingly make use of Indian Goods they would feel proud of our heritage and civilisation and intensely bond with their mother land.
Thus it goes beyond doubt that Modi’s claims in favour of local industries and goods embodies the aspirations of the common Indians particularly at the level of village and country side, thereby enhancing the respect and credibility of his political leadership. Ultimately as I understand, Modi’s response to a critical situation which Cobid-19 has yield, would not only help us to successfully come out of this tragedy but would in the long run work to deepen democracy and usher in a new age where exclusiveness and isolation in the world would not be something which Modi and we as Indians would crave for. What our Prime Minister ultimately desires is to make India a super power and a glorious nation well equipped to provide leadership services to the global community in all arenas, something which for all practical proposes seem to be a reality under our cherished and dynamic leader. India and our country men will revere his policies and perceptions as that of a man who has stood up to offer timely help to the nation, thereby rendering immense service and help to our people witnessing and experiencing a period of acute crisis unseen and unheard of in the present century. I salute his philanthropic endeavours.
Dr. Shaikh Aquil Ahmad
Director,
(NCPUL) National Council
for Promotion of Urdu Language
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Government of India
Email: [email protected]
Mobile No: 9911796525 / 8851448754
