Welcome 2019

Prof A N Sadhu
Time flies and life goes on. I have always been saying that time is a silent and swift escaper. It hardly gives notice of its exit. The preparations to welcome 2019 have already begun. The valedictory for 2018 is being written. Obviously before we welcome 2019, we will have to thoughtfully present the farewell address to 2018. The year that will go into history, was certainly not a year that should have given us greater solace. A year back, we were as keen to welcome it as we are now to welcome 2019, but the excitement and jubilation that marked the arrival of 2018 did not last too long.The outgoing year was a year of continuing agony both, mental and physical. There was hardly any concrete policy initiative to usher in a more stable political and economic environment in the state of J& K ridden with turmoil for the last thirty years. The violence continued. The political instability persisted and hardly any perceptible change was noticed in the working of the government towards restoring the valley to its pristine glory of exhibiting a ray of light in the darkness that has engulfed it. Hardly any policy initiative was launched towards the resettlement of displaced community in a secure and dignified arrangement. The promised job opportunities were not made available to them and the youth only witnessed a year of disappointment and struggle. The uncertain environment was finally climaxed by the collapse of the Alliance Government. This proved the critics right who never saw any rationale in such an experiment except the satiation of lust for power. Both the parties of the alliance harmed themselves besides creating a situation for political opportunists to fish in the troubled waters. The state was never in such a political mess as it is now.
At the national level, the winds that swept the Hindi Heartland have caused ripples in political game plans of the parties. Even though it had become apparent for some time now that the opposition parties are planning to put up a united front against the NDA, it was not expected that they will taste victory in the states that went to polls, particularly, in the Hindi Heartland. It appears three things distanced the common man from the NDA, when even the Chief Ministers of the states had done a good job during their long spells of governance. The Demonetisation, the GST and inadequate attention to the concerns of the farmers turned the tide against the NDA. One can understand the stress the farmers have been experiencing but that demonetisation and GST have played a role in shaping the results would only suggest the failure of the NDA to dispel the apprehensions in this regard and the clever exploitation by the opposition of these apprehensions. In any case it revealed the complacence of the NDA. Even though the Indian voter is very much aware of the national and regional priorities, the NDA will have to work hard to correct the distortions. The outgoing year has also not witnessed any improvement in the neighbourly relations, particularly with Pakistan. There has been more sound than substance in this sphere. However, at global level, the country’s inherent strength of its culture and philosophy stands well recognised and appreciated.
The country remained faced with challenges and these will face us in 2019 as well. During the last four years, quite a few things have happened which were not in line with earlier dispensations. For the first time after a long spell, we had the government of a party with absolute majority. We also have a PM with a difference. Judged by any standards, he is committed to the welfare of the society besides being equally committed to the grandeur of Indian philosophy and culture. In a country of vast social and cultural diversity, emphasising the strengths of Hindu philosophy is apt to be misunderstood and misrepresented in some circles for reasons devoid of logic but biased with considerations of politics, vested interest and opportunism. India has been secular and will remain so. Perhaps the civilizational strength, ” VasudevKutambkam” and ” Sarvebhavantusukhena” is the baseline of only Indian culture and philosophy. That secularism is in danger is misplaced. Occasional outbursts of even educated and experienced people are situational dictated by spontaneous response. There, however, are bigger challenges before the nation. The demographic dividend which has so often been spoken has become a mirage. Serious efforts will have to be made to realise this dividend for the good of the nation and the common citizen- both. Undesirable over-activism on one or the other pretext will have to be checked. Economic parameters will have to be kept stable.
2019 is an important year because parliamentary elections will be held in a few months’ time from now. A very heavy responsibility is on the electorate. The voter of the country is very conscious and wisely he makes a very careful choice. The ruling party lost Hindi Heartland not because it did not perform but because it did not project a new model sustainable on economic and social fronts. The NDA talked more on the undesirability of Mahaghatbandan and its weaknesses and failed to sell the merits of its social and economic initiatives. The vote in Hindi Heartland was not in favour of opposition or against the NDA, it was only a casual approach of the voter because NDA did not enthuse him the way it should have been done. That this will also be the shape of things in national elections is not likely.
The global economic scenario is going to witness some unexpected changes with America tending to adopt more protectionist policy, compelling the other countries to follow suit. This will strain the international economic relations. Developing countries, more particularly, India will have to be on caution to safeguard its economic interests. Pulling out American forces from Afghanistan will definitely impact the geo-political situation in the neighbourhood and we will have to remain cautious to ward off its adverse effects on security front. While welcoming 2019, we will have to make a fresh resolve to assert our economic and cultural strength at the global level and play an assertive role in the global leadership. The state of J&K will have to introspect and earnestly work for peace and development. This has to be both, a collective and individual resolve. Happy 2019 to all.
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