Modi led party won a historic mandate and came back to power. In his second term he has a onceinalifetime opportunity to fulfill the ambitions and desires of a rising india. India will be the most populous country by 2024. The median age around 28 years, rising aspirational middle class that seeks better governance, higher Economic Growth and a growth and a bigger role for india around the globe. The path into chooses in the commenters will be important. Indias open plurasic society, ability to build and consistently maintain a Democratic Political system, and geostrategic location at the heart of the indopacific has make india a natural partner for western democracies, especially the United States. Ever since the parliamentary elections there have been questions about what with the factors that led to mr. Modis reelection, what were his governments and his plans for india, and what are the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. To discuss this we are fortunate to have with us doctor Vinay Prabhakar sahasrabuddhe, social worker, political scientist and parliamentarian. Since january 2018 dr. Sahasrabuddhe is president of the indian council, the soft power promotion establishment of the government of india. He is also a member of parliament, of indias upper house since 2016. Dr. Sahasrabuddhe holds a masters degree in English Literature and a phd in political science. I will request dr. Sahasrabuddhe to come on stage and deliver his talk, after which we will have a brief discussion. Thank you. [applause] good morning to all of you, and thank you, aparna, and members of the academic staff here. Im seeing some students as well who have taken time to listen to this presentation. Ladies and gentlemen, when i get the occasion of speaking to an erudite audience of this kind, im reminded of what my College Professors used to tell me. He was a tutor and mentor especially to those in debating competitions and i was one of , them. So he used to tell us that you have to prepare and conceive speech very will. And those who would go and tell him we have done, he would often say that speeches are like babies. Easy to conceive, hard to deliver. I understand that to present on the subject with very its a far subject matter come in a very focused manner it is certainly not very easy but let me attempt. India has prospects and challenges. Its not just the conceptual construct. Its an elemental truth on the one hand, you have ongoing process happening right since the times immemorial. Technology will change has been one of the fundamental in the case of human civilizations. However, in the context of india, this constant interplay has been an important feature of indias civilization and journey. Having said that, in the larger context, with reference to the last six years if i may precisely focus on that, india truly, let me tell you, is on the part of taking a big turn. This turn has brought to the fore the aspirational new india emerging new india that grow so much rich past, moves dynamically through the present with its eyes firmly set on the future. This new india knows where it has to go. There is an uncharacteristic sense of being unapologetic about the objective with the unshakable confidence in what Mahatma Gandhi had famously said, the truth will prevail. And how exactly is this new emerging india . Let me share an experience of mine. When we were in the thick of the campaign in 2014 as a party, i use my tactic with many young friends. Very enthusiastic, very energetic, and one of them who was kind of working in our social Media Department once while sipping coffee asked me, sir, do you know what our generation is looking for . I was a bit taken aback by a very upfront question coming from him, a lad twentysomething. As if perhaps, my dear, because my son is almost of your age but please enlighten me. What exactly your generation is looking for. And he told me, sir, its very simple. We are looking for five, four, three, two, one. I was puzzled. I asked him, please tell me what does this mean. He said are fundamentals are very clear. We are looking for a fivefigure salary, threebedroom hall kitchen, two kids and one wife. The character with which he told me, without any hesitation, that we want this. Now someone may say this is very materialistic, very narrow, very skewed. I would say whatever it may be, he is focussed and this is the new emerging india. The new emerging aspirational india is very focused. It is truly aspirational, and it knows where it wants to go. And therefore, to decipher, first of all, the mandate that has been secured by Prime Minister modi i believe becomes the first item on the agenda. In a way i have planned my presentation in five segments. Firstly, i focused on, i tried to explain as to how to decipher the historically huge mandate renewed by Prime Minister modi and what does this mandate mean . Secondly, what is the idea of new india . Thirdly, what are the prospects of the idea of new india . Fourthly, what are the basic challenges before the idea of new india . And lastly, how india matures, should be looking at this new india to first understand the process themselves and later allow others to understand the same. So starting with understanding the meaning of the mandate. Let me tell you, friends, that the mandate is very, very real. Because maybe americans are not aware of or perhaps aware of the strengths and limitations of the first system. What is the strong point . Its very easy to understand. Its an established system, your choices are among the 11, and the person who gets maximum number of votes gets elected. Regardless of the fact that you may end up with getting just 22 of votes with 78 against him and, therefore, and even then he goes around saying i am the most popular. In fact, he is the least unpopular, as it happens. And therefore, in indian system to get 50 plus votes is a big deal. Let me tell you. At this time never before in the past the Ruling Party Members in such a big number. Leave aside the alliance partners. Of this 303, 224 was elected with 50 plus votes. That is the level. Undoubtedly this was a very, very strong mandate. Against the politics of fragmentation which is inherent to the first system. Because in the first system the more you fragment your opponents, the higher your chances are getting elected. Here it is been the other way around. We tried to integrate which is why 224 members of the bjp were able to get more than 50 votes. Thirdly, the social expansion improved the performance of the bjp. Im talking of the quality of performance, and so forth. In all the states the popular votes secured by bjp is more than 50 . Except of course in states where bjp was never present at all electorally, significantly, now the presence of bjp is very, very significant. Increased vote sharing im giving, according to study for the developing societies. According to them over 8 of muslims voted for the bjp. Vote share increased and all areas geographically speaking for example, in rural areas, the increase 6. 6 . In urban areas 2. 2 . To look in the premises we hold so close to our heart that perhaps no more. What is the meaning of the mandate . Let me first of all very humbly put it because people inhabit people say its modi magic. Its not magic. Its a hard earned mandate. It is an endorsement of the purity of purpose, the impact of contention and emphasis on partnership with the people. All these things have contributed to this historic mandate. Now, come to the idea of new india. In 2017, Prime Minister tried to present this idea of the aegis in a realistic matter. Not in any confidence or any academic paper but yes, time and again he has referred to this idea what he could also be defined on the basis of certain features of this idea presented by him time to time elaborately. What are these features . First, free from garbage and unclean environment. You know about Clean India Campaign and everything . Free from poverty. Important. Free from corruption. Free from terrorism. Fifth, free from castism and criminalism. And then there are four factors which i also need to mention. He has been because in india it has been a fashion to call names to certain emerging trends and our discourse, and the whipping boy is nationalism. Some people say nationalism, im trying to present that its a bad word. Well, it might be but when Prime Minister refers to nationalism he has been insisting it has to be nationalism with respect which should be reflecting in your daily life. He has been saying that if youre breaking practice he has been saying that you are littering everywhere and say sorry, it has a meaning. So his nationalism, is very grounded. It has some meaning for the transformations in day to day lives. Then development through peoples participation. This has been a key feature about which Prime Minister modi has been emphasizing all along, that development is not something which we can outsource to the government. He wants there will be coming a Popular Movement and everybody and anybody will have two parts as they about as to how he can contribute in national, how he or she can contribute and national development. And then the proclamation by him or emphasis given by him is earning confidence of all sections of the society. He has been saying development for all and taking everybody along. And now he is winning the confidence of every section of the society. And lastly, the cherished dream of the indian people which is one india, great india. Because indias greatness depends on its oneness and, therefore, one india, great india is the long cherished dream. Now, what are the prospects of this idea of new india . I believe, i mean, if we just look back and review the last five or more years under Prime Minister modi, the first thing which anybody dispassionately analyzing his performance would say that over the years Prime Minister modi has brought a robust sense of purpose to the Governance Infrastructure. Which was a job perhaps expecting to be done right after the independent spirit because it was independence. We were on our own and, therefore, inflicting the spirit let us do something good for our country, which is under our control now. Unfortunately in those days people failed in calculating this. Prime minister modi is doing and clearing the backlog which as i said some 50 years old. Hes working painstakingly. Hes allowing a rather facilitating people to aspire because he perspires. He works overtime. Hes known for taking no vacation, no holiday. And several new ideas that his instrument. For example, you must have heard about presently which is a platform where kind of accountability is underscored. Government officials are asked in person no less than the Prime Minister mr. X you are told this will be issued in 30 days. Today it is the 60th day. Why have you not done this . When monitoring happens, in this way i believe the robust sense of purpose is restored to the Governance Infrastructure which was long overdue. His idea about the aspirational districts, once called most backward of districts, he changed the name because the idea is to make them aspire. In 2017 this takes over the country which was quite low on all the Human Development and now being brought on the agenda with top priority. At the same time hes been inculcating this sense of ownership in your country, this is your country. This is not just Prime Minister modis government. Therefore, you must take ownership. That is again one idea which i believe through which hes kind of spinning the prospects of new india. Approach. Gration im sure you are aware that under Prime Minister modis firstterm, given constitutional status. The economically backward sanctions because the as everybody is aware is there to stay. But it should not be part activity and it should not be kind of tool in the hands of those who want to further fragment society. How do we do that . Those who are economically backward but their backwardness is keeping them at the low of the Human Development index. To do away with that, he introduced this quota. For example, in india we have 29 states and so Many Union Territories and governors are appointed. For the first time in india there are as many as seven women governors, and they represent various sections of the society. There are backward class, minority, everything, everybody is represented there. Gender justice is also being taken care of. We know how the goods and services stacks has been omitted. There is a constant. Its federalism which is in practice, and no meeting of the council has happened where the decisions are taken with show of hands. All the decisions are done because of the fact that the First Political ideology of represent by the ministers of different states. Very remarkable. He has been talking about the entire group of chief ministers when they come together take forms as what he famously describes even ideological compartment to listen, he is trying to come about, write about. There is a museum which is being set up for all the Prime Ministers would be decorated, their contribution to india, indian democracy will be documented and presented under one roof. Something very important. India as the previous rulers were known for what weve been the victim of which is known as ideological no more. We want to respect everybody. We want to take a long everybody. At the same time maybe you are aware that the former president of india was recently given not by his government, by the government of different political ideology. Insofar as Economic Affairs are concerned, through the scheme where all the sections of the underprivileged and marginalized classes and especially women are given loans to promote, theres the program are maybe people in the developing country would be able to gauge the seriousness of the issue to the workers who are in sanitation. Sanitation workers unfortunately in india in certain parts of the country or in major parts of our cities have to repair the sewer lines by going into the sewer lines. That causes all kinds of hazardous situations. Many times they die. Now to save them from this, the government has come up with a particular scheme where new machines have been made with the Industrial Chamber of commerce and industry. Famously appealed his disciples, dont be just jobseekers. Be job givers. And now Prime Minister modi is trying to give shape to the dream minimum government, maximum governance. Several small and big reforms have been introduced to process a selection of smart cities. Every time when the government announces a scheme, the beneficiary units for the districts or states now will have to compete. It is not just because of your political allegiance to a government that you will be awarded those kind of benefits, no more. You are to compete. There is a sector kind of format in which you are to prove you can, you are able to take advantage of whatever government provide you and dont take over that. This is again rising about parties, something very important. The Prime Minister has been emphasizing on policy agreements. Where policies are in place in the light of the policies you have rules and regulations, and when rules and regulations are there, discretion based having the space for discretion based is to that extent many minds. When theres no discretion, naturally corruption is arrested and before this again is very important. On the social front as i said, there is definitely something where the ratio has increased. It was a state which was infamous, which had become infamous for a very skewed sex relation now that it is some kind of balance that the government got involved with help of the world bank has been able to achieve. Friends, populism and paranoia indulged in by some of the parties versus politics performance. Bjp added to the in india it lexicon is politics and performance. Very humbling one can say we nobody had ever heard of that performance should be judging the various, judging the governance of different ideological groups. Now it is. We say maybe on couple of issues we might not have performed well, but let us understand from each other how to better perform, and that is the Government Team these days. In that sense i believe when you do away with populism and refuse to get brought down by the politics of paranoia you get , strengthened and bring reforms like this. So its an important thing which for no reason Prime Minister modi take a call about and has, at least taken a very courageous step, if i may say so. Because all these things were basically a part of symbolism which ruled the indian politics all along. We know that in the 1990s and nation asked us about what our former Prime Minister deputy had made famous which was socialism. To which the Prime Minister to his pronouncements on one thing put an end to socialism and now we have put an end to what i can separatism or so pseudoseparation is him. Because it was not possible in that sense it was so low and just simply too great an error about it and to indulgence saying Something Different which has no meaning which, in fact, had deprived people in kashmir over there of several benefits and several reforms as well about which we can discuss later if we dont have any questions. Coming to the last two aspects of my presentation, what are the challenges before new india . Firstly, building consensus on rejecting the notion that maximum democracy demands maximum rounds of selection. We are pushing for one nation and minimum rounds of elections. Im not saying one election. Because every time there is an election with a state electionministerial election in the big cities, all eyes are set on them and the government thinks twice about taking some message