An Aam Aadmi's letter to Mr.Narendra Modi

Dear Shri.Narendra Modi ji

Firstly, congratulations for being the PM hopeful for this vast nation called India. While your detractors are ruling you out, most of the Indians are already seeing you as their future PM especially the stock markets that are bouncing up in joy every day. That in itself is no mean task and you deserve all appreciation for that. As an aam aadmi, I would like to draw your attention to the issues that bother us, not that you do not know, but to reassure ourselves.  

Taxation – Whatever happens in this country, whether it is the price rise or corruption or any other issue, it is the employees of either private or any other sector who are the most affected. As their sources of income is salary , they are easy targets for the governments to tax them heavily at the source with the result they take home less than what actually they would need for a comfortable and happy living. Please find ways that would put more money in employees’ pockets and those evading tax are brought into the tax net.

Poverty – About 500mn Indians live in abject poverty thanks to ‘excellent efforts’ by the previous governments. Most of those in governance were looting money that should have actually reached the poor people with the result around 35% of the global poor now reside in India according to a World Bank report. Poor people lack the resources to fulfill basic needs like food, shelter, health and education and poverty is a big hurdle in the process of development. Please ensure measures that would reduce the number of poor by at least 50% in your first term as PM.

Social tensions – Again thanks to the vote bank politics of our parties (including your party) and successive governments, social tensions have reached a nadir. There is a general feeling of mistrust between various religions which is further roused by certain political parties to create more tensions for political survival. Added to this caste based politics are taking gigantic proportions for vested political interests. In fact, caste based political alliances, groups and parties are evolving which is a big cause of concern as it leads to more conflicts and dampen the progress of India.

Public transportation – It is the ordinary public due to whose votes the leaders are able to travel in luxury with high level security by sitting in positions of government. But unfortunately, if you see the way they travel to and from offices daily to earn their daily bread, it is disgusting. No government has given enough thought to improve on this front though the Metro services in a few cities are an exception. The local trains and buses are crowded so much that it is a daily war for commute. Why should they suffer so much? For having voted leaders to power?

Sanitation – If you travel across the length and breadth of this country, you will find people defecating in the open on both sides of the roads. How can we develop until such visuals are erased from the face of our Indian villages, towns and cities? Due to improper sanitation facilities, people are polluting the canals and rivers which could pose a bigger health problem to all. You are contesting from Varanasi and should be aware how much sewage gets into the Holy Ganga. As per reports, around 1.1 million litres of raw sewage is disposed into Ganga every minute.

Atrocities on women – You will agree that it is a woman who gives birth to a man. India is a country where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of half man and half woman, but when it comes to reality, women are exploited and viewed as objects of pleasure. To a great extent, our films and product advertisements of various corporates are to be blamed for this. Added to this, a girl child is viewed as a burden by most rural folk and in towns due to dowry system that needs to be abolished completely. Due to this, there is also the problem of female infanticide and foeticide which is tilting the man: woman ratio that could have long term implications on the society and women in particular.

Medical facilities – A look at most government run hospitals puts us to shame and boils our blood for the kind of treatment that the sick get. The rich and the political class get treated at corporate hospitals even for a minor ailment and are also aided by medical insurance, but what about the poor who can’t afford such facilities? Is it not the responsibility of the government to provide best medical facilities at affordable cost to each and every citizen of India? Why should not this be one of the top priorities for the government?

Education – A large section of children do not go to school and some who go become drop outs owing to family conditions. This leads to inequality and social disadvantages. I hope you are aware that India had higher literacy rate than British who came here around 200 years ago and our literacy rates now are dismal to say the least. Education alone will lead to economic growth. Today we have schools run by government which are either poorly furnished or in dilapidated condition or without electricity. How can children continue education in such conditions? What is the motivation for the teacher and the taught?  So please ensure that all schools across the country are equipped with the best facilities and children find it interesting to go to school every day and study. 

Corruption – Corruption is so widespread in India and that the movement against corruption has made heroes of a few people who fought against it and went on to form political party that met with historic success in the recent elections in Delhi. It is due to corruption that India with more than a billion people is suffering from several problems mentioned above. While I would not ask you to completely erase corruption which is a humongous task, I would nevertheless request you to see that our resources are not looted by the high and the mighty. Please ensure channeling every rupee for the benefit of the people and see that it reaches the last mile which was not the case all these years.   

Though there are several other issues, the above are the most important to be dealt with on priority. I am sure that any work you do on these subjects will insure you and BJP against future uncertainty of forming a government. Though I foresee a coalition in 2014, I am sure 272+ will be an easily achievable target individually for BJP in 2019 if you utilize the opportunity from 2014-19.

ALL THE VERY BEST

An ordinary Indian Citizen aka Aam Aadmi