The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
To make any message work in India, you don’t need top end communication methods. You need to make something a mass movement. It then takes on a new life of its own.
While the Congress and opposition feel they can employ suave looking and smooth-talking spokespersons to conjure up talking points that defy every logic in an attempt to win TV debates, the folks in the Hindi heartland are coming up with their own folk-lore and songs in local dialects – Bundelkhandi, Bhojpuri, Awadhi etc.
Despite the cynicism and questioning that Congress was trying to push in India – specifically in the English media – the rural people are clear about what happened in Balakot.
They believe the Army and the Government of the day about the narrative of what happened. As – in a war – how it should be. For, wars are not just fought on the ground but also in the minds. And every narrative is designed to win that the war on the ground for the soldier. Something that the intelligentsia of India have completely forgotten. Or chosen to ignore.
So let us see some examples of local expressions of the geopolitics and love for Modi, despite the machinations of the opposition.
First is this old gentleman who starts off impromptu on his own in an unscripted – probably locally written song.
Another song discusses how India killed 300 of the Pakistani Jehadis as the revenge for 40 deaths – चालिस के बदले में हमने तीन सौ को मारा – a sentiment which mirrors the song from the old gentleman above.
Another song expresses the feeling of many who are now certain that Pakistan can be given a bloody nose. So the lyrics go – पाकिस्तान का भस्म लगाएंगे शिव रात्रि मनाएंगे. As journalist, Rahul Pandita, who has spent a lot of time in Bihar and nearby states asserts, the following song is playing all over Bihar these days!
The folks songs in local dialects that work are the ones which capture the main catch-phrases popular in the rural areas, along with the expressions. So “Theek hai” (ठीक है ) and कबीरा सा रा रा रा रा रा रा have become popular additions to every song.
Ultimately, it is about making everything into a movement. And, until now, it seems that Modi doesn’t have much to do to make his work into a “movement”. People know what he has done and are not afraid of speaking – or rather singing – their hearts and minds out.
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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