The COVID-19 crisis worsens every passing day, with a daily average of almost 80,000 new cases, the country’s economy has taken a hit for the worse. With a contraction of -23.9% in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first post-pandemic quarter, the worst contraction India has seen in decades, the middle class refuses to hold the government responsible.
As per the CMIE reports, 21 million salaried people lost their jobs in April-August. The endless suffering of many salaried people now unemployed ever since the lockdown was imposed in March, the migrant worker crisis, the endangered lives of students, while they write exams amidst a pandemic, the overworked deteriorating healthcare system, while lives are being lost continuously with no vaccine in sight, the nightmare for Indians, isn’t ending anytime soon.
The alarming fiscal deficits in almost all sectors of the economy, while the official coffers slowly run empty, the finance minister is using shenanigans such as the ‘Act of God’ while people are told to be ‘Atmanirbhar‘ and not expect any support from the incumbent government with Unlock 4.0 coming into effect.
For the first time in six years, there has been quite an uproar online protesting against the policies of the Modi government, however, it isn’t enough to oust Modi out of power.
The relationship between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the majority of the middle class, for whom class and caste matter more than the country’s economy and the unprivileged, isn’t just transactional or financial, it is ideological. For a massive chunk of the society where hate and communalism run deep, and purity of race and religion matters more than humanity and basic rights, where speaking the truth is a dangerous crime and can lead to death, where lynchings are justified, and jailing of activists, students and opposition leaders are acceptable, things such as the failing economy or deaths of thousands are insignificant.
While the BJP relies heavily on the support of people who have surpassed logic more commonly known as bhakts, and India surpasses Brazil to claim the second spot globally for COVID-19 cases, Modi stays true to his words “Modi hai to mumkin hai.”.
