... Governance Needs Efficiency, Honesty and Accountability

In a democracy, a leader's success cannot be measured solely by the number of seats won in elections. Winning power is one phase, but the true measure of competence lies in how efficiently, transparently, and accountably that power is utilized for the welfare of the people. Political strength, propaganda tools, hyperbole, pomp and show, institutional coercion, and the personality cult of blind followers can establish Modi as a leader. However, what will endure in the history of democracy is only the capacity for public welfare, the courage to face complex national and international challenges, and the ethics and honesty shown towards the people.

In recent years, nationwide incidents concerning exam conduct, paper leaks, irregularities in recruitment tests, and student protests have raised serious questions about India's education system. Especially regarding exams that determine the future of lakhs of students, even a single failure impacts the lives of thousands of families. Several students have committed suicide. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan even apologized to those families. Why did it become necessary for students across the country to agitate for the removal of an incompetent Education Minister? It is precisely because, instead of understanding their anguish, they were mocked as 'cockroaches' and 'parasites'... that from that very insult, the self-respecting "Jan-Jee Youth" gave birth to the "Cockroach Janata Party." When the government ignored the issues they raised peacefully through hunger strikes, the Home Ministry treated these as serious legal offenses. The police, paramilitary forces, and indirectly, RSS and BJP goons were deployed, leading to inhuman and brutal attacks on students, their parents, and thousands of gathered youths without any warnings. Lathi charges, tear gas, banned pellet guns, and even AK-47s were used. This was completely illegal; the Union Home Ministry violated the constitutional right to peaceful protest. When the Union Home Minister Amit Shah should have taken administrative responsibility for this police brutality and atrocities, his absence and silence at that time must be viewed as a severely anti-democratic act.

Paper leaks also occurred during previous governments. However, a government cannot absolve itself of its responsibility merely by citing past failures. Efficient governance means recognizing previous flaws and building a system to prevent their recurrence. That is the true measure of administrative skill.

Eventually, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. Bowing to public pressure and student protests, and against the backdrop of criticism of the central government's national exam system, the government announced some reforms. These include strengthening exam security, enhancing digital surveillance, introducing new procedures for transporting question papers, and bringing in stricter laws against exam irregularities. However, to fully restore public trust, laws alone are not enough; their implementation, impartial action against the guilty, and transparency in investigations are equally necessary.

In India, crores of youth appear for competitive exams for jobs and higher education every year. Exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, National Testing Agency, State Public Service Commissions, Railways, Banks, and other recruiting bodies carry the hopes of lakhs of families. In such a situation, even a single leakage is not just a case; it is a blow to the credibility of the entire system.

In a democracy, the government's response when a problem arises determines public trust. Listening to protests, discussing issues, and rectifying flaws are indicators of democratic maturity. However, the tendency to portray every criticism as a political conspiracy and every protest as an anti-national act has grown significantly in the past 12 years of BJP rule. Behaviours such as treating representatives of public organizations as enemies without dialogue, and ignoring suggestions from the opposition, weaken the democratic system. At the same time, one cannot claim every protest is entirely flawless. But if genuine issues lie behind protests, it is also the government's primary responsibility to address them.

Another concerning aspect in recent political discourse is the propaganda war of falsehoods waged by the "Godi Media" operating under the BJP's influence. Social media platforms, digital forums, and television networks are largely (about 95%) under the control of Adani and Ambani. There is criticism that their news broadcasts, articles, and discussions prioritize defamation and false allegations against the opposition, intellectuals, and public organizations over public issues. While the ruling party widely publicizes its achievements, the opposition highlights every failure as proof of government incompetence. In this political rivalry, the actual issues often get sidelined.

Internationally, good governance is defined by three main criteria—accountability, transparency, and institutional capacity. Organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations also state that efficient governance is not just about GDP growth but also about delivering quality services to people, strengthening legal systems, curbing corruption, and maintaining public trust. Achieving a majority through electoral tricks, improper means, and alliances based on selfish interests is not a substitute for these goals.

Even though the central government under Narendra Modi's leadership has received praise from Godi Media analysts for infrastructure, digital services, direct benefit transfers, and India's prestige on international platforms, based on partial truths and half-truths. At the same time, the opposition, civil society organizations, and some observers are also severely criticizing issues like unemployment, exam conduct, institutional independence, the government's attitude towards criticism, and the functioning of democratic institutions. Only by considering both perspectives can a balanced analysis be achieved.

A strong leadership is necessary in a democracy. But that strength should come from public trust; not from creating fear among the opposition and the public through raids conducted by constitutional investigation agencies like the CBI, ED, and IT. Governance that hides problems plaguing the nation, glosses over them, and engages in deceptive propaganda is less valuable than governance that solves them. Learning from criticism is more valuable than suppressing it. Those in power cannot avoid mistakes. But the true hallmark of leadership is the culture of acknowledging mistakes with sincerity and rectifying them.

If we examine leaders who have left a mark in history, one thing becomes clear. How powerful they were is often forgotten over time. What remains as their legacy is how they faced crises, how they maintained public trust, and how they strengthened institutions. Therefore, in a democracy, power is not permanent; but good governance brings lasting recognition. A leader's true strength lies not in the bluster of propaganda but in the tangible results seen in people's lives.