A wishlist for 2019
In 2012, I had written out a wish list for BJP India, asking them amongst other things, to focus on development and deciding on a PM candidate [full blog reproduced here].
The most striking thing about the wish list was that, much of it actually found its way into BJPs 2014 electoral strategy. Don't misunderstand me - am not saying I am all that important. Merely that my thoughts must have found strong resonance across a wider electorate - and BJP had listened to voices on the ground. Listening to voices on the ground and social media (SM) had paid off handsomely for BJP in 2014.
So, here is the unsolicited wish list for BJP's 2019 manifesto. Hopefully, some of it would resonate with the larger population.
1. Talk about and act on #Core issues. If nothing else, talk about legal discrimination in education sector and in religious matters [Art 25 - 30, and Amendment 93]. I don't want to elaborate on these issues - since none other than the MoS HRD, Dr. Satyapal Singh had recently explained his thoughts on the same. It is time to make it official. Of these, legal discrimination in Edu sector will not have any electoral benefits. People just don't understand discrimination that masquerades as social justice. But, as a civilizational duty - as dharma - it has to be done. Govt relinquishing its grip over Hindu temples will find a wider electoral support, and can be made into a election issue for South Indian states.
1b. Make NIOS legal, once and for all - make it impervious to judicial review. Make RTE compliant with NIOS. Make decision regarding means / mode / board of education, a right of parents. Make vedic boards on par with any other board, and offer them protection from any future interference. Again - these two things don't really offer any electoral benefits. But they will allow the seeding of superior schools that are not bound by NCERT syllabus. I am stretching it a bit here, but - create an online test [even if at the state level], and allow children to take their exams online - whenever they are ready. This achieves two things: children get ranked according to their level of knowledge, and not according to whims of the examiner. Second, it reduces exam time stress for the kids, as they are able to complete one or two exams ahead of schedule. Even if 10-15% of children opt for this mode of testing, it reduces burden on the overall system. As a pilot, float such an online testing for NIOS students.
1c. Introduce AMIE like courses for Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Today, all of these subjects can be pursued by children, given adequate guidance.
2. Higher allocation to defence: India currently spends a measly 1.6% of its total budget on defence. We need to see ourselves spending 3% or above, if we have to make up for a) the widening gap between us and China, and b) the lost decade of 2004 - 2014. It is surely a tricky issue - to spend on defence, when you are also spending on social welfare. However, defence sector spending can be projected as industrial capacity building. [Maybe a part of Make In India can be funded through defence, or vice versa]. Instead of spending our money buying stuff, it would be interesting to see ourselves making the most basic defence equipment.
[2b. Project India as a small arms manufacturer: Arms and ammunitions are money. They are also power. India currently doesn't project much in this space, except to fulfil a fraction of its essential needs. What we need, is a vibrant small arms manufacturing ecosystem. From fully assembled firearms [pistols] - to sports pistols, air rifles, and other accessories, India needs to break free of its Gandhian manacles [yes, you guys rever him - but still we need the fire power]. There is a hidden request here: India needs to become competent at the global stage in manufacturing these items. Today, our sports people import air-pistols for competitions, because no one makes them to that quality in India. The govt must specifically boost manufacturing in this segment.]
3. Ban FCRA NGOs from filing PILs: In fact, I would wish for a complete ban on FCRA funded NGOs, but I understand that you may not do it. At least, stop them from meddling in our internal affairs through PILs. FCRA funded NGOs are basically someone paid by foreign entities. No one knows who pulls the strings here. Even if it is known, once the money is in, it is difficult to stop them from using it as per their wish. We are a second / third world country with rampant corruption at the lower levels, and we can't regulate their fund use. Best is to eliminate certain use cases completely.
3b. Create corpus funds for Hindus to travel within India and outside, for religious conversions. The govt can make this fund, the reparation for swindling temples for the past 70 years.
4. Make acquiring driving licences, difficult. Make retaining driving licences, even more difficult. Driving license is a privilege, and people holding it must learn this fact. Crowd source information on rule breakers, impose frequent and periodic training for commercial drivers in safe driving practices and enforce rules strictly on highways. Use technology, use human intelligence, exploit greed - but enforce the rules. It is cheaper to fund these training programs and make sure people actually know how to drive, than to lose so many lives to road accidents [1.5Lakhs last year]. Enforce traffic rules inside the cities. Especially with respect to two wheelers. If there is a picture of a two wheeler breaking the law, penalize the district / state authorities. Get draconian with road rules. The country would thank you for posterity.
5. Build Shri Ram mandir at Ayodhya.
The most striking thing about the wish list was that, much of it actually found its way into BJPs 2014 electoral strategy. Don't misunderstand me - am not saying I am all that important. Merely that my thoughts must have found strong resonance across a wider electorate - and BJP had listened to voices on the ground. Listening to voices on the ground and social media (SM) had paid off handsomely for BJP in 2014.
So, here is the unsolicited wish list for BJP's 2019 manifesto. Hopefully, some of it would resonate with the larger population.
1. Talk about and act on #Core issues. If nothing else, talk about legal discrimination in education sector and in religious matters [Art 25 - 30, and Amendment 93]. I don't want to elaborate on these issues - since none other than the MoS HRD, Dr. Satyapal Singh had recently explained his thoughts on the same. It is time to make it official. Of these, legal discrimination in Edu sector will not have any electoral benefits. People just don't understand discrimination that masquerades as social justice. But, as a civilizational duty - as dharma - it has to be done. Govt relinquishing its grip over Hindu temples will find a wider electoral support, and can be made into a election issue for South Indian states.
1b. Make NIOS legal, once and for all - make it impervious to judicial review. Make RTE compliant with NIOS. Make decision regarding means / mode / board of education, a right of parents. Make vedic boards on par with any other board, and offer them protection from any future interference. Again - these two things don't really offer any electoral benefits. But they will allow the seeding of superior schools that are not bound by NCERT syllabus. I am stretching it a bit here, but - create an online test [even if at the state level], and allow children to take their exams online - whenever they are ready. This achieves two things: children get ranked according to their level of knowledge, and not according to whims of the examiner. Second, it reduces exam time stress for the kids, as they are able to complete one or two exams ahead of schedule. Even if 10-15% of children opt for this mode of testing, it reduces burden on the overall system. As a pilot, float such an online testing for NIOS students.
1c. Introduce AMIE like courses for Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Today, all of these subjects can be pursued by children, given adequate guidance.
2. Higher allocation to defence: India currently spends a measly 1.6% of its total budget on defence. We need to see ourselves spending 3% or above, if we have to make up for a) the widening gap between us and China, and b) the lost decade of 2004 - 2014. It is surely a tricky issue - to spend on defence, when you are also spending on social welfare. However, defence sector spending can be projected as industrial capacity building. [Maybe a part of Make In India can be funded through defence, or vice versa]. Instead of spending our money buying stuff, it would be interesting to see ourselves making the most basic defence equipment.
[2b. Project India as a small arms manufacturer: Arms and ammunitions are money. They are also power. India currently doesn't project much in this space, except to fulfil a fraction of its essential needs. What we need, is a vibrant small arms manufacturing ecosystem. From fully assembled firearms [pistols] - to sports pistols, air rifles, and other accessories, India needs to break free of its Gandhian manacles [yes, you guys rever him - but still we need the fire power]. There is a hidden request here: India needs to become competent at the global stage in manufacturing these items. Today, our sports people import air-pistols for competitions, because no one makes them to that quality in India. The govt must specifically boost manufacturing in this segment.]
3. Ban FCRA NGOs from filing PILs: In fact, I would wish for a complete ban on FCRA funded NGOs, but I understand that you may not do it. At least, stop them from meddling in our internal affairs through PILs. FCRA funded NGOs are basically someone paid by foreign entities. No one knows who pulls the strings here. Even if it is known, once the money is in, it is difficult to stop them from using it as per their wish. We are a second / third world country with rampant corruption at the lower levels, and we can't regulate their fund use. Best is to eliminate certain use cases completely.
3b. Create corpus funds for Hindus to travel within India and outside, for religious conversions. The govt can make this fund, the reparation for swindling temples for the past 70 years.
4. Make acquiring driving licences, difficult. Make retaining driving licences, even more difficult. Driving license is a privilege, and people holding it must learn this fact. Crowd source information on rule breakers, impose frequent and periodic training for commercial drivers in safe driving practices and enforce rules strictly on highways. Use technology, use human intelligence, exploit greed - but enforce the rules. It is cheaper to fund these training programs and make sure people actually know how to drive, than to lose so many lives to road accidents [1.5Lakhs last year]. Enforce traffic rules inside the cities. Especially with respect to two wheelers. If there is a picture of a two wheeler breaking the law, penalize the district / state authorities. Get draconian with road rules. The country would thank you for posterity.
5. Build Shri Ram mandir at Ayodhya.
What happened to your twitwit handle sir??
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