How Modi let down India in just one year

Modi's only positive accomplishment was that he, at least temporarily, revived national sentiment on India, which paradoxically enough, was relentlessly smothered, slaughtered and singed by the BJP itself. But a painstaking analysis demonstrates that Modi remained in campaign mode and orchestrated atmospherics like the Madison Square Garden show dominated the rock-star politician's agenda. The actual performance though remained sub-par.

The BJP/RSS have a pathological antipathy towards India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and it shows - from renaming schemes earlier named after him, to repeated attempts to mortify the world statesman. It reached a nadir when personal equations between him and Sardar Patel and Netaji SC Bose were distorted mischievously through selective leaks.

Despite some heaven-sent economic tailwinds that had crude oil prices slump to below 50% of the levels prevalent during the UPA, Modi's economy was sluggish and slothful, with all crucial economic indicators such as job accretion, core sector growth, merchandise exports and agricultural productivity languishing. Despite massive ad spends for government branding of popular schemes (erstwhile UPA launches), there was little incremental momentum. Make in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat, Jan Dhan Yojana etc remained just seductive slogans. Modi was peripatetic, a constant globetrotter but with nothing to show but his rock-star image, particularly to NRIs.

Modi's arrogance can be best seen in his Scarlett O'Hara attitude, with the ordinance route employed flagrantly. But the opposition was resolute in its defiance of anti-poor legislative amendments being hurriedly pushed through. Arun Jaitley, who masterminded the parliamentary gridlock during UPA-II that held back crucial bills, now appeared distraught. No one was convinced. The BJP is like a Robin Hood gone rogue; it has slashed social sector allocations on public health, delayed MNREGA payments, allowed the Food Security Act to remain comatose and mocked at farmer-friendly provisions in the Land Ordinance. The poor are understandably disillusioned, and even the middle-class are feeling short-charged.

The promise to recover black money within 100 days was revealed to be mere electoral rhetoric by Amit Shah. It was the perfect example of the BJP's sleight of hand.

Foreign policy remained muddled, even as traditional adversaries Pakistan and China seem to be drawing even closer by sharing strategic military and economic corridors (USD 46 billion investments) on crucial geographical terrain sensitive to Indian borders

Opaqueness ruled as the RTI appears to be sidelined. And the Lokpal, an independent CBI, and related anti-corruption infrastructure bills remained in cold storage.