Can we trust you Mr. Prime Minister? How long and how far? 

Every citizen of this nation deposits his or her trust in the ruling party to see progress and development of the people and of the nation as a whole. But, sad to say, except your advocates, media segments and Sanghi bhais, the rest of the nation has questions to ask about the non-fulfilment of the umpteen promises you and your government made with flourish and fanfare before and after elections. 

How do things tally with kaam ki baat when you are brimming with mann ki baat, they ask. The promises you made with the roar of a Gir lion went like a damp squib.  

Your own trusted friend Mr. Amit Shah described your promises as ‘jumlas’. In other words, pure hoodwinking. P C Sarkar, the reputed ‘Maharaja of Magic’ could not have done better pretending to swallow the Howrah Bridge.  

Attack on minority religious institutions by your Sanghi devotees is mindboggling. The latest in the line is the threat to cut Muslims into pieces declared at Capital’s Jantar Mantar. Such bloodthirsty calls, building into a crescendo, are in tune with the many atrocious perpetrated against the Muslim minority community. You and your government’s calculated silence is symptomatic of the hate line drawn between the majority community and the minority communities in India. 

Christian communities are equally targeted. Their churches are burnt, pastors are tortured, prayer meetings are disrupted with violence, and their charitable and educational institutions are targeted. 

The Dalits are treated like chattel. Caste atrocities against them have no parallel. Because they are showing intelligence and are getting bold to claim their rightful place in this secular and democratic nation, they are treated with contempt.

When the Adivasis are waking up to ask questions why their land and resources are being exploited for the benefit of business loot, they are termed Maowadis and Naxals. Those who stand with them in solidarity to get their constitutional rights are shown the way to jails to rot therein. 

‘Ambition as path to success and persistence as the vehicle to arrive in’ have helped you to get to the post of your intent.  However, many are wondering whether you have wound your way to end up vending the nation’s assets to private enterprises and to your select circle of crony capitalists. Call it ‘distress sale of national assets’, or ‘offloading of the nation’s assets’ like strategic PSUs, banks and other infrastructure like the railways, gas pipe lines, power grids, national carrier Air India, shipping Corporation of India, helicopter  services, defence production units, insurance companies etc. in the name of jumla-type atmanirbharta (self-reliance)! 

The selling spree of nation’s asset is a monumental mockery of the so-called sales reps of nationalism. The high decibel slogan of atmanirbharta has resulted in protest of workers, soaring unemployment, housewives in the street drumming their pots and pans against soaring prices, and small businesses downing their shutters. 

People will be at the mercy of corporate houses. They will decide what we shall eat, what we shall dress, how distant we shall travel, or how fast we shall travel. Business will thrive as new Shylocks will preside over our lives. Where will all these end, Mr. Prime Minister? At what point can we deposit our trust in you? Trust cannot be bought by incentives and questionable promises. Trust has to be won by honest performance and thereby winning the hearts of the citizens. Time is running out. It appears that if there is an iota of ‘trust’ in you, it is from your devotees who pay obeisance at your shrine. 

Let not the nation be taken for a ride for opportunist political advantage. Human lives are precious. People’s development is imperative. If this development is denied to them and replaced with empty promises and slogans, the nation’s leaders are to answer for their misdeeds. 

Let not religion be dragged into politics by creating hate walls against other religions and communities. Let not their silence be taken as the silent submission of the lamb taken for slaughter. If peace and amity are not restored by not controlling the lynching mobs or hate promoters, tsunami waves of anger could be the result.