India 2014: Most ‘wow’ and Most ‘Oh No’ moments

2014 gave us a lot to keep with us. It saw the birth of a new India, politically and socially awake. We had our moments of pride. We had our moments of shame. At times we led by example, at others we failed to learn from others or even ourselves. Let’s take a look at some events that left us baffled.

Elections 2014:

Modi taking Oath as 15th PM of India

2014 proved to be an extremely decisive in the political history of India. The 16th Lok Sabha elections held in April-May 2014 came out with ground-breaking results. The Congress party suffered an embarrassing defeat as it managed to secure only 44 seats. The Modi wave swept across the entire nation and BJP won 282 seats alone. For the first time in the history of Independent India did a non-Congress party secure a majority on its own. The BJP won 25 seats in Jammu and Kashmir which was a revolutionary outcome given the anti-Article 370 stance of the party. Erstwhile Chief Minister of Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi became the 15th Prime Minister of the country. Although the results were a manifestation of the people’s opinion as the saffron reigned supreme all over yet it is important to note that there is a difference between opposing the ruling and supporting the opposition. Precisely this stance remains unclear as far as the cause of BJP’s victory is concerned according to me.

Mars mission:

India’s Mars Mission [Image Source: ISRO]

Indians got the chance to feel proud as ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) successfully entered the orbit of Mars on 24th September making India the first nation ever to enter Mars’s orbit in its first attempt. PM Narendra Modi said, “Our budget is even lesser than a Hollywood blockbuster. These will go down as landmarks in history,” as it is the cheapest mission till date. Another feather in the cap for India!

Nobel Peace Prize for Kailash Satyarthi:

Kailash Satyarthi

The two politically conflict-ridden neighbours entered into a symbolic bond when India’s Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai became the shared winners of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Kailash’s fervent efforts in the direction of children’s right to education and his steps against child labour won him the award. But this prize was more salient in its allegorical form as it brought together two nations who have been in a state of angst since independence. To share the Peace Prize among them indeed a welcome irony.

Kashmir floods:

Kashmir Flood [Image Source: nbcnews.com]

Almost a year after the devastating Uttarakhand floods which sent the entire nation into shock, came the Jammu and Kashmir floods on September 6, 2014. Despite possessing information about the high possibility of immensely heavy rainfall provided by the Met Department, the perpetual inaction and lack of preparedness unleashed havoc in the state. A disaster which could have been mitigated, where a lot many lives could have been saved, where timely action could have limited the extent of damage instead led to the colossal loss of lives and property. Around 284 died, countless rendered injured and missing, these floods were J&K’s worst nightmare.

Uber rape:

Uber Rape [Image Source: Indian Express]

December came as a brutal reminder of the 2012 gang-rape as a 25-year old MNC executive was raped by Shiv Kumar Yadav, an Uber cab driver. The entire protest against the 16th December case seemed to drown in light of this cab case as the voice against rape went unheard. Clearly no lessons were learnt. An atmosphere of shame and disgust surrounded. A serious criminal offender appointed as a driver of a reputed company who surprisingly did not even posses a driver’s licence from the Delhi Transport Authority committed rape. This might come across as ‘expected from a person like him’ but why was this guy appointed in the first place? Why was he roaming around like a free man when he had a list of criminal offences in his name? Several loopholes in the system surfaced with this disgraceful incident.

Conversions:

Conversion Process [Image Source: PTI]

The RSS’s claim that India is a ‘Hindu nation’ paved way for the ‘ghar wapsi’ or ‘homecoming’ movement where Christians and Muslims are being reconverted to Hindus. RSS believes that these people have been forcefully converted since ages and they are simply converting them back to Hindus. However, PM Modi is squarely opposed to this action and his party is even supportive of an anti-conversion bill according to Amit Shah. Some converts claim to be have been tricked with a lure of economic benefits. Being a sensitive issue any drastic step may invite grave repercussions on the part of the government or the people.

Death of Nido Taniam:

Protest Over The Death Of Nido Taniam [Image Source: Hindustan Times]

The strong negative bias against North-Eastern people prevalent took on the most ghastly garb in the form of the death of Nido Taniam, a 19-year old Arunachal student also the son of Congress MLA Nido Pavitra. Nido succumbed to his injuries, although the precise cause of death has not been revealed, after being allegedly beaten up by 5-6 shopkeepers in Lajpat Nagar who mocked him for his hairstyle. Sparking racist angst and regional tension, his death pointed towards the anti-north-east environment in Delhi where North-Eastern students are refused houses for rent and are denied to be paying-guests and what not.

Polio-free India:

Polio Free India [Image Source: downtoearth.org.in]

On 13 January, India achieved a notable milestone as WHO certified it as polio-free. No new case had been reported since the past three years. Along with India 10 other nations were also marked polio-free making 80% of the world’s population polio-free. Given the sanitation facilities, efficiency of immunization programme, medical facilities and their accessibility in our country, this achievement is indeed a remarkable one!

Death of Gopinath Munde:

Modi and L.K. Adwani at Death of Gopinath Munde [Image Source: indianexpress.com]

Popular backward class BJP leader Gopinath Munde died on June 3 after his car was hit by an Indica and he died due to shock and hemorrhage caused by his injuries in the neck and liver. The car which hit him had jumped a red light and had Munde been wearing his seat belt, he could have been alive today. His death gave rise to the importance of road safety once again as a road accident claimed yet another life. Stricter enforcement of traffic rules and serious punishment for violations is the lesson to be learnt from his unfortunate death.

Swachh Bharat abhiyan:

Swachh Bharat [Image Source: AFP]

PM Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan as a call to fulfill Gandhiji’s dream of a Clean India. With its tagline- Ek Kadam Swachhta Ki Ore- Modi emphasized the importance of toilets, public sanitation and hygenie. He nominated many known personalities including Sachin Tendulkar, Salman khan among many others. The whole country was swept by the broom as many accepted his nomination and cleaned the streets with a broom. Drive to save the Ganga and the construction of toilets for girls in schools were among the various issues that were taken up. Whether any concrete step has taken effect cannot be concluded but certainly the level of awareness has risen and that in itself is a great stride.

As we progress towards a new year, we wish to retain our strength that draws from our pride and hope to combat our weaknesses which reveal themselves in shame.

• About the Author

About Manleen Bawa

It is a very daunting task for me to describe myself. I feel that there isn’t any one particular kind of thing that can truly define me. So, I am the kind of person who will very blatantly speak her mind, shoving away all signs of coming across as rude. I am also the kind who might tell you that you look quite pretty today just because I know how good that will make you feel about yourself. I am the kind of person who will often lose herself in the beauty of a book while completely oblivious to the world around me. I am also the kind of person who will try to devote as much time to others (people I love and care about) as I possibly can. What makes us human are our complexities. So, rather than being a strict prototype of a certain way of life, be complex. Be human.