My name is opposition and I am not a terrorist

            Governing a country of more than a billion is no easy task, and when you add to it the democratic style of governance, it's a near-impossible mission. Yet, since India's independence from the British in 1947, a grand total of 14 Prime Ministers have had the honour and privilege of leading our country. Some of them have had to face rather difficult circumstances, both internally and externally. Wars with Pakistan and China have led to regular border tensions with the situation rarely being calm. Internally, we've faced riots between communities (most of which are politically motivated) with metropolitans such as Mumbai and Delhi being torn apart. The current situation is no different and as a country, we are being attacked from all corners and to make matters worse the citizens are more polarised than ever.

           As our prime minister says "Criticism is the backbone of democracy", I agree, but you need the courage to take on the opposition and their criticism head-on without turning their mic off. If you feel that once you are elected for 5 years, you can just bulldoze your way through the parliamentary procedure on laws and ordinances, you are mistaken and the people will make their voices heard. If you are convinced in your methods and reforms you should have no problem sticking up for those views in front of adverse opposition. If the laws are bulletproof and if you believe in them, you should have no problem in convincing the people of the same. The problem arises when you face opposition and you start accusing them of being terrorists. Sikhs not agreeing with you are not all Khalistani, Muslims disagreeing with you are not all Pakistani or Bangladeshi, general people disagreeing with you are not all terrorists. Just because protest is at times infiltrated with these extremists groups, it doesn't mean that the majority of them belong to those groups. I take you back to my first point about governing a democracy of more than a billion people, no one said it was going to be easy, but you chose to take up the mantel by choice and facing the opposition is part of the job. Leadership is not always about being right or wrong, it's about "CONVINCING" them that everyone is part of this country as much as the leadership irrespective of whether you are for or against the government. Progress in a democracy is very slow for a reason, it is to make sure that no one, not the last opposing person is ever left behind. So next time, when you bring about reforms in a particular sector, you make damn sure of the fact that you will be able to convince those people that these changes are for their benefit. The present may or may not understand your governance now, but be sure of the fact that history will not remember you very fondly.