Michel de Nostredame, also known as Nostradamus, was a French physician and astrologer who lived in the 16th century. He made many predictions, some of which came true. Amongst them – the recent burning of Paris’ iconic Notre Dame Cathedral (“when the great cathedral glows red, so will begin the descent of man”). A few years ago an old wooden chest was found in an attic in Lyon, and some of the ancient parchments had predictions concerning India – particularly the present general elections.
“Bharata Janatus adrogantiam ducibus determinatum est ad”. ‘There grew a certain arrogance in the BJP leadership, which is talking with absolute confidence about another ‘Modi wave’ that will see his party, touch alone the 300 seats mark’. But : “sed multo minus eam faciet”. ‘Yet, it could very well be that the BJP will do much less -240 seats at the most – and may even less, and end-up in a coalition Govt, which will tie down Mr Modi and not allow him to realize his grand vision of India’.
He then lists several factors that cost Mr Modi votes: GST. “Erat enim multum necessaria age paenitentiam et Modicus ‘Quisque et dixeritis visionem”. ‘The GST was a much needed reform, and only Mr Modi had the guts to implement it on a vast scale. But it has created chaos because of its complexity and made life difficult for the small people of India, who cannot afford an accountant’.
Demonetization. “Rursus et vanis audetModdicus est”, ‘Again a very bold and visionary move by Mr Modi’. However: “fallere volunt ad Indos”, ‘but cheating has become a way of life for Indians and they continue to do so. This has considerably blunted this important reform’.
Swachh Bharat movement. “Aussi praeclarum dictum est affectus CIRCUMDUCTIO”. ‘ Corruption also affected this remarkable project:contractors paid by the Government to gather trash, go and dump it at night – in Auroville for instance, near Pondichery, or on the Bangalore Kanakapura road leading to Sri Sri’s ashram. The only exception is Benares and sanitized places where Mr Modi is dutifully taken’.
The youth. “A tempore quo non extat memoria, quae est ad sinistram-incumbens adolescentia”; ‘From time immemorial, youth has been left leaning. It is in the orders of things’. “Magnus proventus est quomodo XC decies novum suffragii mittent balllot”. ‘Thus, there is a big question on how the 90 million new young voters will cast their ballot.’
Banking “Somnum exterreri solebat bankus aedificantes hic factus est in India”. ‘ Banking has been become a nightmare in India, as banks – private mainly – have used the KYC (Know Your Customer) new rule of the Modi Govt to make the life of ordinary people miserable. If you are a foreigner, even with a valid one-year visa, you can’t even open a Savings AC. The first motto of bankers today is ‘distrust the customer’ and many of Mr Modi’s 2014 voters are frustrated with these new banking rules’.
NRI’s. “Indianus Etrangus multi conati sunt, qui venerunt ad Indian scriptor, tandem rediit ad Americanus”; ‘Many NRI’s who have tried to come back to Indian, ultimately returned to the US or the UK, as they found that Red Tape is still very much there and banking restrictions made it impossible for them to function efficiently. Mr Modi will also lose some of their votes’.
Visas “Dui eu eget, quam in peius sunt Congressgùs”; ‘Visas are worse than under the Congress. Many good people in Pondicherry, who are even married to Indians have been expelled or forbidden in India. The visa rules, in spite of Evisas are even more stringent and visas are given grudgingly and sparingly. This will affect tourism and investment in India’.
Kashmir. “Plenum est, et, lobortis a Bharatus Janatus typis fuerit clade”.‘The Kashmir policies of the BJP Govt have been a disaster. Situation in the Valley is much worse than under the Congress’ . “Sed si narendrus modicus movissent de filio Articleus triginta quinqueineunte”; ‘Yet if Narendra Modi had removed Article 35A at the beginning of his term, the army could have contained riots and situation in Valley would not be worse than now’.
Loss of the United Hindu vote. “In MMXIV, a Prohibeo est Brahmanus, vidi in Modicus campionus”, ‘In 2014, Hindus, from the Dalit to the Brahmin, saw in Narendra Modi their champion and thus voted for him across caste lines. But today, many Hindus, while recognizing that Narendra Modi did extraordinary work economically and in the foreign policy front, feel that he has neglected his vote bank. “Nihil est, quod dictum est de Ramus templum, ayyappus controversia est, Clementine_Vulgate civile”. ‘ ‘Nothing has been done about the Ram Mandir, Ayyappa controversy, a Common Civil code, or the Govt control of temples (whereas churches and mosques are free of this control)’ “Non Musulmanus, qui Christiana et Sikh etiam ad suffragium pro”; ‘No Muslim, Christian and even Sikh is going to vote for Mr Modi, however much he went out of his way to woo them’.
Soft Hindutva. “Rahulus, Gilonitem consiliarium him multa etiam, quod tamen catholicam baptizatam”, ‘Rahul Gandhi’s advisers persuaded him, although he is a baptized catholic, to go for the Hindu votes, by attending pujas in Hindu temples’. Hindus, particularly rural Hindus, are very innocent and this will surely cost Mr Modi several million votes’
Resistance of bureaucracy. “Animi, monstrante infra medium per quod sensit imminere Narendrus Quisque correctiones”, ‘Instinctively, the middle and lower bureaucracy have felt threatened by Narendra Modi’s reforms, that aim for more transparency and less intermediaries. Hence the bureaucrats have applied brakes on these reforms and twisted some of the rules such as the ones against missionaries and hostile NGO’s, by applying them to all foreigners’.
Congress shackles. “Sumptibus Bharatus et ad nullam habet regulae in structuram creata LXX annos Congresso”; ‘The BJP Govt has had to function in a structure created by 70 years of Congress rule, whether it is the VVIP syndrome, the Security system, the bureaucracy, the judicial setup. We witnessed Mr Modi trying to rise above it, but in the end, he and his ministers accepted them (some of them even enjoyed it), and it has slowed down – and sometime even nullified some of Mr Modi’s remarkable reforms’.
Living in the Golden jail that is Delhi. “Superbus est Dellium urbem procul recedam a reliquis ex Indiaum”; ’Delhi is an arrogant city, faraway from the rest of India, where journalists, diplomats, intellectuals rehash the same clichés, the same untruths. When he was chief minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi had an ear to the ground, but now, because of a 7 ring of security around him, a six tier of bureaucrats, he lost somehow touch with the grassroots of India. It’s true however than Delhi is a Golden jail with the PM’s beautiful residence of Race Course, the majestic offices of South Block overlooking India Gate…
Then Nostradamus makes the next prophecy: “Omnes jus, Domine Quisque est iens ut refecti in ilia minor cum majorite”. ‘All right, Mr Modi is going to be re-elected, albeit with a smaller majority and it may be a wake-up call for him that he needs. What can he do to break these shackles and bypass the bureaucracy which is applying brakes on his reforms’? “Quisque magna uis hominum ex uisionibus XL M ‘shoulds et adsumens iterum potest esse quod in fervore, qui erat princeps Chanakyus”;‘ As the modern Chinese are using war philosopher Sun Tzu’s techniques in politics and economy, Mr Modi should take his inspiration from the great Chanakya and become again be the fiery leader he was as Gujarat Minister. He should be cunning and not forgive India’s enemies. He should stop trying to please the Media, the foreign journalists and the intellectuals – who will never love him however much he tries’.
But how to bypass the bureaucracy? Michel de Nostredame has an answer. “Modius Govermentus decantralus est”. ‘Mr Modi needs to decentralize the Govt; a first step would be to move his Government periodically to different parts of India, for a week or so at a time, so he gets the feel of his people. And ultimately shift the entire capital to a more central place of India, Mumbai, Indore, or Pune, for instance. This is will ensure that the backbone of the bureaucracy will be broken’.
What else, Mr Nostradamus? “Quisque shoulds-M ‘habere Cœtus præsidialis ex amica, non consilii, politica”; ‘Narendra should have an Advisory Board from friendly, but non political, non BJP journalists, businessmen and intellectuals, who will give him another sound bite that the one he receives from his surrounding bureaucrats. This Advisory Board should meet at least once a month in the presence of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. If it had been done in this term, Mr Modi could have prevented the loss of part of his 2014 vote bank’.
And the last prophecy: “Opus enim Prohibeo, Domine Quisque non sunt de scientia Last speciale derogat generali magna”; ‘ Work for the Hindus, Mr Modi, they are the last holders of a great Knowledge that once roamed the world: – Who am I, what happens when I die, why am I reborn, what is karma, what is dharma, what are the yogic tools to lead a better life’…. Amen
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