By Himanshu Jain

In yet another defining socio-political development in the country, India will soon get its First Tribal President and Second with BJP naming Hon. Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, Governor of Jharkhand, who is from Odisha and a Santhal (Tribe) as its candidate for the top constitutional office.

The Prime Minister Tweeted announcing her candidature – “Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country.”

Soon after the announcement, supporters and opposition started a debate on the selection of the 15th Presidential candidate. Some called it a master stroke and some called it a strategy for Tribal and Women votes. Leaving aside all the discussions, one thing has emerged in the country in no uncertain terms that “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” has just not been a mundane political slogan for the ruling dispensation but it was followed in its true spirit as the whole country witnessed since 2014. This was another testimony of this fact.

Anyone who is closely watching our Prime Minister, must have noticed he shifted his official residence from Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg as soon as he assumed his coveted office. I used the term shifted rather than just renaming the road. This shifting was a huge policy statement where it was declared that this Sarkar and Pradhan Sevak on this address are for everyone. For those who are marginalised and those who have suffered and struggled. The Lok Kalyan Marg is not mere nomenclature but imbibes the ethos, philosophy and culture of the incumbent government.

The selection of President Hon. Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji, and now Shrimati Draupadi Murmu ji or several CM and Governors of ministers are not a one off decision but in consistency with which several policies of government of India are being implemented, therefore I decided to write this piece.

These days information is bombarded to us every second through our smartphones so we already know most of the works done in 8 years of #ModiSarkar But let me put these schemes in a perspective so that we get that it’s not only electoral politics for Modi ji though in the end he ends up getting votes from the people.

In India, forty percent of India didn’t have access to toilets, many villages and communities still had no electricity, Cooking Gas in every kitchen was unthinkable. Medical cover of Rs. 5 lakhs was a luxury. Things changed for the good after 2014. Bank Accounts for all, one nation one ration card , Low cost housing for all and water in every home. Small reforms like LED bulbs in all households, clean India and wash your hands campaign, Medical colleges in every district , 10 percent reservation for the economically backward. Free rations for 80 crore People during pandemic, Mudra Loans without collateral , Vaccination for all ,Connectivity , Udan Scheme so all can fly and small towns are connected via new airports, cheaper internet in every corner, insurance policy with low premiums, crop insurance and initiatives for divyangs, and on and on.

For whom these schemes were for? We all know it and it’s not a difficult answer. These are all for the common man. Those forgotten in remote areas or the marginalised or in slums of big cities.

Governments before Modi ji were also committed to Garibi Hatao, at least in words. They were also standing for social justice of backward and most backward but the schemes had no urgency or no push was there for saturation of these schemes. Their schemes were on paper or poorly implemented and often mired in corruption. There was no urgency or commitment to implement.

Now comes my real reason for penning this piece. A person who rose from selling tea on railway station and whose mother washed utensils of others to bring him up a man who has seen it all can only know the issues faced by common man and only he would be in hurry to uplift those from where he came. The Prime Minister looked in a hurry to push India up.

He walks into the Chair of CM and subsequently PM of India. He is the most unlikely choice as only elite or particular families or loyalists had access to power. He was constantly attacked , hated and even ridiculed by saying this is Delhi and a Gujarati can’t survive here.

But his determination to give power to his mother like women who toil all day and his love for those who are hard working, innovative and struggling made him the architect of Namonomics. Where the common man is at center like Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhya always said. Ekant Manavadh.

But I call it Namonomics for my own reasons. It’s A mix of Policy designed for common man at center , emphasis on Implementation till saturation and also empowerment of last man as a major component, Vocal for Local and also encouraging startups and manufacturing and self employment.

Now in this perspective I want to leave you thinking as to why these choices are for President or his cabinet or his chief ministers and also Padma Awards. We have a leader who has consistently and reliably been standing for all.

Now I know you will understand it’s much more than votes. It’s Sabka saath Saab ka Vikas Saab ka Vishwas and Saab ka pryaas on the road called Lok Kalyan Marg with destination being #NewIndia

(The author can be reached/followed on Twitter at @HemanNamo )