Skip to main content

Modi govt "inadvertently" announces its "negatives" alongside "positives" over last three years, withdraws them

By Our Representative
Will the Narendra Modi government ever admit that there are some “negatives” in whatever it has done over the last three years? In a surprise move, the Press Bureau of Information (PIB), operating directly under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in a press note first published negatives along with positives, but finding it too embarrassing removed it from the website.
Meanwhile, a site run a well-known software engineer and human rights activist based in Ahmedabad, Pratik Sinha, has dug out that the removed press note is still available in the cache form, which can be accessed HERE.
Even as pointing out that Modi’s three years in power “has been impressive, judging by macroeconomic parameters”, with the BJP seeing “unprecedented ascendancy” by wresting back power in Uttar Pradesh and the North-East”, making him “India’s most popular political leader”, the press note points to “controversies associated with the actions of fringe saffron groups.”
Pointing out that these controversies have “left the BJP vulnerable to criticism”, the press note, which has been issued in the name of the “President’s Secretariat”, says, “The next general election is due in 2019 and, to a large extent, the outcome will depend on Modi’s management of the optics and his government’s ability to generate jobs to meet the growing aspirations of voters.”
The “negatives” of the press note, surprisingly, are many, and are in equal numbers as the positives.
On foreign policy the negatives include “no strategy to pre-empt rebel attacks on security personnel in districts where Maoists are active”, “ties with Pakistan and China” being “icy despite Modi making trips to both countries”, and “relations with Russia—India’s once time-tested friend—in doldrums.”
The withdrawn press note: Screenshot
On environmental front these are “neglect of the forest and wildlife sectors”, with “decisions pending on a national forest policy, definition of forests, inviolate forest areas and a national wildlife action plan”, “the government favouring industries and indiscriminately giving green clearances, ignoring the toll taken on the environment”, and “Ganga clean-up yet to gather momentum”.
On agriculture these are “decline in wholesale prices of vegetables and pulses” denting farm incomes, “a loan waiver in Uttar Pradesh” leading to a moral hazard problem and “delay in repayment of loans in other states”, and “acute drought in southern states led to a spike in farm suicides.”
On finances, these are “demonetisation drive” leading to “short-term cash crunch”, hitting “small and medium enterprises”, “pending cases of retrospective taxation on past transactions still unresolved”, and “inability to bring back black money stashed away abroad by citizens.”
On the political front, the negatives are “rise of vigilante groups called Gau Rakshaks”, “allegations of toppling elected state governments”, and “problems within the NDA partners” in Jammu and Kashmir (People’s Democratic Party, Maharashtra (Shiv Sena) and Andhra Pradesh (Telugu Desam Party).
Other negatives include “drop in digital payment transactions with the easing of a cash crunch that followed the demonetisation of high-value banknotes in November”, “leakage of Aadhaar data”, and “increasing number of railway accidents”.
Interestingly, many twitter users said the “Report Card” is in fact an article from Livemint. However, a keen investigation has found that the PIB had ‘inadvertently’ uploaded the “Mint” article as an official press release by the President’s secretariat, which the “Financial Express” reproduced and removed, but not before several sites – including a Pakistani – made stories out it.
The “Financial Express” removed the press release with the following clarification: “The story on this link was based on a press release uploaded on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) website. PIB informs us that it inadvertently uploaded a story from the Mint newspaper. The content below in this story has therefore been removed.”

Comments

Unknown said…
Must give them marks for such an open analysis, as part of genuine introspection. The negative points raised are echoing the views of the people that we hear all the time. thank you for locating and sharing.

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

Poor private sector engagement 'impacting' carbon pricing policy in Global South

Counterview Desk  The joint report by Environmental Defense Fund and Observer Research Fund, "Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects", delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South.  The report claims to provide insights and recommendations for effective carbon pricing strategies in diverse economies.  A note: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have launched the Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects” report. The report delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of various carbon pricing instruments currently in existence, providing valuable i