Modi’s ‘frenemies’ problem

If you were to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s legion of admirers to draw up a list of Modi-baiters, a typical one would probably lead with the BJP’s political foes, left-leaning liberals, a large sprinkling of civil society, his detractors in the media, and the entrenched elite of Lutyens’ Delhi. But recent events once again show that the challenges facing Mr Modi come as much, if not more, from within.

Consider the ongoing hullabaloo over the contentious land acquisition amendment bill (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Amendment Bill 2015), which seeks to turn a recent ordinance into law. It jumped to centrestage on the very first day of the Budget Session of Parliament with the entire Opposition ranged against it, forcing the BJP top leadership to rethink the government’s strategy. The return of Anna Hazare to Jantar Mantar, Delhi’s Hyde Park, to lead anti-land acquisition protesters added to the BJP’s troubles. But what is perhaps causing the Modi government the most embarrassment is the loud pronouncements of some of its friends — NDA allies and RSS affiliates.

Raju Shetty, whose party Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana is an NDA ally, says the proposed amendment would be disastrous for the farming community. The Shiv Sena, a BJP ally at the Centre and in Maharashtra, boycotted an all-party meeting called by the government on Tuesday evening to resolve the issue. “There is no question of supporting any legislation which goes against the interest of farmers,” says Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Another Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told reporters, “If farmers are opposing this ordinance, we must also take their views into consideration. We are with the government, but we are with the farmers as well, we want certain points to be reviewed.”

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP’s ally in Punjab and at the Centre, was present at the meeting but reportedly added its voice to those opposing the bill saying that farmers were unhappy with the proposed changes and that an alternative was needed. “Yes, we have problems with the ordinance and we said so at the meeting. We hope the government will take corrective steps,” Akali MP from Anandpur Sahib Prem Singh Chandumajra said.

That is not all. The RSS-affiliated unions of farmers and labourers — Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) — also do not see eye to eye with the government on the proposed amendment to the Land Acquisition Act. Both are crying hoarse about its potentially damaging impact on Indian farmers. Sources say BKS, BMS and Swadeshi Jagran Manch leaders met the BJP’s top leadership and advocated “immediate course correction”. That possibly explains why a committee has now been tasked to talk to farmers.

BMS general secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay told this writer that the government’s proposal to skip social impact assessment during the land acquisition process is ill-advised and could spell serious trouble. He cited the examples of Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal to argue that “Anti-farmer policies have a high political cost. No investor will come if there is turbulence.”

Such opposition from within the Sangh Parivar comes on top of the opposition from the Congress, the left and regional parties. Clearly, it is more than a matter of party politics.  Even if the government manages to push through the amendment in its present form, it is unlikely to lead to the desired effect.

As if the hullabaloo in Parliament and on the streets of New Delhi were not enough, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat created another controversy the very day the Modi government was being politically cornered over the Land Acquisition Bill. Mr Bhagwat gave Mr Modi’s critics another reason to chuckle when he observed that Mother Teresa’s service to the poor was aimed at converting them to Christianity.

Mr Bhagwat is not the first to take a potshot at her. The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice, a 1995 essay by British-American journalist Christopher Hitchens, had made headlines as a scathing critique of Mother Teresa’s work and philosophy. It is not known if Mr Bhagwat had read or was inspired by Hitchens. But in this instance, there has been widespread speculation about the timing of his remark. That one observation successfully complicated the task of Modi government’s perception managers.

It is no secret that the BJP is feeling embarrassed by the recent statements of its Hindutva brigade. Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu even blamed them for “damaging” the party’s prospects in the recent Delhi Assembly polls. Mr Modi has urged his party workers and public representatives to refrain from making comments that divert focus from the government’s “agenda for development”. But the comments continue. What is one to make of this?

On sensitive public policy measures, there has to be greater consultation, and being conciliatory is not always a bad thing, as the government is learning. Mr Modi’s trouble-shooter and BJP president Amit Shah has formed an eight-member committee to seek farmers’ suggestions on the proposed land acquisition legislation. In the past 72 hours, the BJP has taken to aggressively explaining its position on the proposed amendment through social media outlets.

The issue is not about the right or wrong of a specific piece of legislation but the reality of having frenemies — friends who may sometimes behave like enemies. There is no wishing them away but they can be managed through high-level and deft diplomacy. And as every political party that has been in power knows, compromise is not always a cuss word. In the coming days, the Modi government will be tested on how it manages its friends, its foes and its frenemies.

The writer focuses on development issues in India and emerging economies.
She can be reached at patralekha.chatterjee@gmail.com