‘Threats’ to destabilize Modi government far from visible

Prime Minister Modi has said that certain NGOs and black-marketeers were ‘hatching conspiracies every day’ to destabilize his government and trying to ‘defame’ him.

Modi was addressing a farmers’ rally inaugurating the ‘Rurban Mission’’ in the Western Odisha town of Bargarh on Sunday. He said that ‘some people’ were unable to digest the fact that a ‘chaiwala’ (tea seller)has become the Prime Minister and hence were conspiring to ‘finish and defame’ him. According to Modi, the attacks targeting him began after his government sought details of foreign funding adding that he would not bow before any ‘threats and blackmails’. Speaking about the conspiracies to destabilise his government and alleging that some NGOs and black marketers that received foreign funds were involved in it without taking names is unusual of the PM. Despite a 38 per cent vote share, Modi came to power with a clear majority. In a democratic country like India, the present government has to face only one of the two threats, either an ousting by the military or an unfavourable verdict by the people through elections. While the toppling by the military is least likely to happen, it isn’t yet time for the polls. It means that Modi government has more than three years in power. With no apparent fissures within the NDA or the BJP as well, the fact as to why Modi fears the loss of power evokes skepticisms. It might only be the atmosphere of growing public fury across the country against the Fascist tendencies of the BJP government. With the students as well as the faculty at the Jawaharlal Nehru University openly declaring that they refuse to abide by the covert agenda of the Sangh Parivar , it’s the ploy of aggressively suppressing the voices raised against the system that have received a setback. JNU has been branded as a hub of traitors and anti-nationals by the Right-wing groups with terrorist activities alleged to be going on in the campus after the students organized an event on February 9, to protest against the judicial killing of Afzal Guru, the main convict in Parliament attack case.

The right-wing allegations backed by the media with their vehement propaganda and the subsequent steps taken by the Home Ministry have invited severe criticisms and protests across the world. The attempts to brand a group of students as anti-nationals and imprison them using the ‘evidences’ of fake video produced by the Sangh Parivar had triggered concern for those coveting democracy. The happenings are seen as part of the RSS strategy to smear the Indian universities with hardcore Hindutwa nationality. New incidents of severe intolerance surface on a daily basis even while the protests and opposition towards the mindless beef ban and saffronising attempts in the educational and cultural sectors continue to exist. Those who anticipated Modi government to prioritise the nation’s development and progress over the Hindutwa agenda when he assumed office in May 2014, feel betrayed before the naked realities. Even the PM, who focused on highlighting the image of India in the country as well as abroad, might not have anticipated such an outcome. This is the main reason that prompted him to express anxiety over the threats faced by his government. Since Modi cannot overtly lambast the illogical and mindless actions by the members of the ruling party, he maintains his silence over the issues and is compelled to present the imaginary NGOs and black-marketeers as opponents. Modi had earlier targeted NGOs like the Greenpeace by freezing their bank accounts and stalling their function. With the support of corporate giants who exploit the poor, the potential factors that pose threats to Modi and his government are far from visible.