Modi is not perfect, but he is far ahead of his predecessors and, in my view, the best prime minister India has had.
Most criticism of him is not about failures but about the expectations we place on him, shaped by what we see in developed nations, and that is fair. But India cannot transform into a superpower overnight, constrained by its vast population, democratic checks and balances, and the historic backlog of poverty and underdevelopment it inherited. Unlike China’s top-down model, every reform here must navigate states, coalitions, and social complexities.
Taxpayers’ aspirations in India are particularly high because they contribute more and get little, but it’s also a reality that democracy itself acts as a handicap. Elections are rarely won on vision or development; they are won on caste loyalties and freebies that appeal to the masses who care little about infrastructure, education, development, environment, or progress. Any govt, no matter how capable, is forced to dilute long-term reforms in order to survive short-term populism.
On top of that, real transformation requires decades of consistent effort in economic modernization, R&D, defense capacity, and global positioning, all of which no leader, not even Modi, can compress into a few years. What he can do, and is doing, is laying the groundwork for a stronger, more self-reliant India of the future.
Criticism must continue, it pushes things in a positive direction. But credit should also be given where it’s due. Happy birthday, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi. May you continue to lead the nation for many more years.
Delhi govt’s move to arbitrarily label 10/15 year-old vehicles as junk is a textbook “Tughlaqi farmaan.”
62 lakh vehicles are now off the road, affecting as many families, roughly 2–2.2 crore people. This will have consequences.
The phase-out could’ve been smarter: start with the oldest vehicles, then strengthen PUC enforcement and weed out those that fail. Well-maintained, low-emission vehicles could’ve been few years to plan and offered substantial tax cuts on new purchases. A gradual, targeted approach would’ve reduced the shock and built public trust.
Everyone except the public stands to gain from this. If affected people end up buying new vehicles, the auto lobby will see the biggest business boost in their history. The govt will rake in ₹4–10 lakh crore in taxes, and the insurance industry too will earn handsomely.
A win-win for the govt and big business. And if pollution drops by even 1%, which is doubtful, the govt will be the first to take credit, while the very people forced to bear the financial burden of this exercise won’t even be acknowledged. They simply can’t touch the farmers who burn parali and choke NCR, so instead, they keep squeezing the only group they can, the middle class.
Person A drives responsibly, follows guidelines, gets regular servicing and maintenance.
Person B drives recklessly, ignores maintenance, and the car ends up in terrible shape.
Yet, in the Republic of India, both are treated the same. Once a car hits 10 or 15 years, it’s deemed unfit, regardless of how well it's maintained or how clean it runs. So where’s the incentive for being a model citizen?
If age alone decides a car's fate, why bother with PUC? No car ever fails it anyway, even those belching black smoke somehow pass. At the very least, stop this PUC farce if cars are to be scrapped based purely on age, regardless of their emission status. This is nothing but institutionalized extortion, a system that punishes the responsible.
Because the govt failed to weed out polluting vehicles through robust PUC enforcement, it’s now hiding that failure behind a blanket age-based ban. It’s NCR today, the whole country tomorrow.
@theskindoctor13 I has the same experience but explanation was - “server is down for live testing and takes many hours get back so if you want to wait you can”.
In India, following these few survival skills could cut your chances of dying randomly by half :
Don't go to crowded places.
Follow defensive driving. Don't stare, abuse (even with closed glass), or argue with aggressors on the road.
Anticipate stray/pet dogs at any spot. Don't leave your kids out of sight.
Don't walk or drive under electrical wires, especially look for them in the streets before you enter.
Be a socio-political critic, but try not to hurt the ego of any politician, babu, cop, or religious fanatic personally.
Learn 8–10 common phrases of the local language in language-sensitive states if you are planning to stay there for long, or just carry a skull cap.
Anticipate open sewers and manholes, especially on roads you are not familiar with.
Don't stand under giant billboards or flyovers, especially during rains.
Try not to go out at night. If you have to, don't go alone. Especially women of your family, don't care if someone calls you a misogynist.
Avoid nightclubs where Scorpio/Thar-wale urban dehatis are allowed.
Avoid eating out as much as you can, especially street food.
Health insurance is almost a fraud, govt hospitals are in bad shape, and private ones are too costly. So better stay in shape and avoid frequent hospital visits. Run, exercise, eat healthy.
When Djokovic retires, we'll miss watching the most complete tennis player in history deploy this unique mixture of endless natural gifts that have been sharpened by 20 years of grinding against some of the best ever.
Absolute pinnacle of the sport.
Talent comes with painful training
Wealth comes with stressful risks
Peace of mind comes with brutal self-reflection
Intelligence comes with grueling mental efforts
Love comes with demanding commitment
Nothing great happens without friction
Figure out the price, then pay
God has given Narendra Modi the opportunity, ability, willingness and courage to correct historical and civilizational wrongs.
He is The Chosen One, indeed. But that’s because he has chosen the path of dharma for his nation.