Nil Konsam

Viksit Bharat cannot be built on political theatrics while the country confronts internal conflict, border insecurity, economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability and an intensifying technological race.

Media: Substance Over Spectacle

India’s public discourse increasingly rewards confrontation over scrutiny and political spectacle over substantive debate. Confidential and restricted institutional matters dominate prime-time discussions, while challenges with far greater consequences for the country’s future receive inadequate attention.

The controversy surrounding Congress MP and JNU Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam illustrates the need for restraint and precision. JNU reportedly dismissed him following an internal inquiry into sexual-harassment allegations, which he disputes. Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR.

These are separate processes: neither the allegations nor the registration of an FIR establishes criminal guilt. Equally, allegations of political vendetta or institutional misconduct require evidence, not merely suspicion. The question is not whether an issue deserves scrutiny, but whether scrutiny is informed, proportionate and guided by facts—or reduced to partisan theatre.

Institutional Accountability: Due Process Must Prevail

Complainants deserve a fair hearing, the accused deserve due process, and institutions must remain accountable. None should be prejudged, discredited or shielded from scrutiny because of political affiliations or public pressure. Institutional independence is not immunity from accountability. Nor should accountability become a pretext for public humiliation or political retaliation. The
credibility of any institution rests on transparent procedures, impartial investigations and decisions that can withstand independent scrutiny.

Delhi Protests: Constitutional Remedies, Not Political Escalation

The protests in Delhi over electoral-roll revisions and allegations of voter deletions have raised serious questions about electoral transparency and public confidence. Opposition parties have alleged disenfranchisement, while the Election Commission has disputed claims of partisan manipulation. The allegations must be examined through verifiable electoral records, established procedures and independent scrutiny; deletion figures alone do not establish deliberate manipulation.

Peaceful protest and political dissent are democratic rights, subject to lawful restrictions. Authorities must ensure that restrictions and police action are lawful, necessary and proportionate. Equally, political parties must pursue evidence-based challenges through appropriate electoral, administrative and judicial mechanisms. If legitimate grievances are dismissed, remedies remain inaccessible or enforcement is perceived as partisan, public distrust may deepen and the potential for further escalation cannot be ruled out. Constitutional institutions must inspire confidence through impartiality, transparency and demonstrable fairness—not merely demand it.

Internal Security: The Unfinished Business of Governance

Manipur is once again confronting the devastating human cost of ethnic hostility, insecurity and failures of political engagement. The killing of nine people in fresh Kuki– Naga violence on 9–10 October 2026 is a grave reminder that ordinary citizens continue
to pay the price of escalating conflict. Reports of the beheading of Naga village guard Ajinpou Ringkangmai and the display of his severed head are particularly disturbing.

Such acts demand a prompt and impartial investigation, identification and prosecution of those responsible, and effective protection for vulnerable communities. No political cause, ethnic grievance or claim of collective victimhood can justify the killing or dehumanisation of civilians. Nor can violence by individuals or armed groups justify retaliation against an entire community. Selective condemnation, collective blame and competing narratives of victimhood can deepen the cycle of fear and
revenge. Accountability must be individual, evidence-based and impartial.

The immediate responsibility of the state is to protect lives, restore public order and enforce the law without discrimination. Condemnations, security deployments and assurances of peace are insufficient without demonstrable results. The government
must prevent further attacks, ensure accountability, rehabilitate affected families and pursue sustained dialogue that addresses legitimate grievances without rewarding armed coercion.

Along the Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bangladesh borders, trafficking, illicit networks and other cross-border security challenges require coordinated intelligence, effective border management and accountable enforcement. On the frontier with China, vigilance must be matched by credible infrastructure, preparedness and strategic clarity.

Security cannot be measured by operations conducted or statements issued. Its ultimate test is whether citizens are safe, borders are protected and public institutions command trust. Security and development are not competing priorities; each depends on the other.

Economic Pressures: Beyond Headline Growth

India faces a demanding combination of currency pressures, volatile crude-oil prices, trade uncertainty and structural dependence on imported goods and technology. Retail inflation reportedly reached 5.54 per cent in September 2026, approaching the Reserve Bank of India’s upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent. For households, the real test of economic performance is not headline growth alone, but purchasing power, secure employment and the cost of living.

India–US trade relations illustrate the uncertainty. The framework announced in February 2026 envisaged an 18 per cent reciprocal tariff on covered Indian goods, following an earlier 50 per cent rate. Yet negotiations had stalled by early October, leaving uncertainty over the final terms and duties applicable to individual products. The announced framework rate should not be mistaken for a universally applicable or independently confirmed current tariff.

The reported suspension of access to the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) permanent labour-certification programme for specified major technology and IT employers in the United States adds uncertainty for affected professionals seeking employer-sponsored permanent residence. It should not be misrepresented as a blanket ban on Indian professionals or all US work visas. Nevertheless, it underscores the vulnerability of Indian technology workers and businesses to policy shifts abroad.

India’s widening trade deficit with China also demands strategic attention. Imports of Chinese components, machinery and intermediate goods can support Indian production; the problem is not imports per se, but excessive dependence in critical
sectors without adequate domestic capacity or alternative supply chains. A durable response requires competitive manufacturing, stronger research and development, greater value addition and export growth—not protectionist rhetoric alone.

Geopolitics: Strategic Autonomy Needs Strategic Capacity

Instability in the Middle East, tensions involving Israel, and the continuing Russia– Ukraine war expose India to risks involving energy supplies, shipping routes, commodity prices and defence procurement. Rising crude prices can place additional pressure on
inflation, the rupee and the current account.

In such an environment, strategic autonomy cannot rest on diplomatic declarations alone. It requires economic resilience, diversified energy sources, credible defence capabilities and the ability to protect national interests while maintaining constructive
relationships with competing powers.

Frontier Technology: The Race Is About Execution

Artificial intelligence is becoming a source of economic, industrial and strategic power. India’s digital public infrastructure and expanding technology sector provide important foundations, but they do not automatically confer leadership in frontier AI. That ambition requires sustained investment in computing capacity, advanced semiconductors, reliable energy, high-quality data, research talent and risk capital.

Equally important is the ability to translate research into widely deployed technologies that improve productivity, strengthen industry and deliver better public services. The measure of technological leadership is not the number of conferences held, declarations issued or investments announced. It is what the country can build, deploy and scale—and the value those capabilities create for its people.

Accountability: The Real Test of Leadership

India’s national priorities must include quality education, accessible healthcare, productive employment, scientific capability and equal opportunity. These are not secondary concerns to be addressed after political contests; they are the foundations of national strength.

Public accountability must not become selective outrage. Allegations should be investigated fairly, institutions should be scrutinised consistently, and public officeholders should answer for outcomes. Political loyalty cannot substitute for competence, and publicity cannot substitute for performance.

A government’s credibility is ultimately measured by what changes in people’s lives: whether schools teach effectively, hospitals provide reliable care, young people find meaningful work, citizens feel secure and public money produces measurable results.

Conclusion: Governing Beyond the Headlines

India’s challenges are interconnected. Internal conflict weakens social trust; economic vulnerability narrows strategic choices; technological dependence constrains future growth; and institutional failures erode public confidence. None can be resolved through prime-time shouting or political messaging alone.

This is not an argument for suppressing scrutiny or sidelining individual grievances. It is an argument for proportion, evidence, due process and a more serious public conversation about national priorities. Viksit Bharat must be measured not by the intensity of political spectacle, but by the quality of governance, the strength of institutions and tangible improvements in the lives
of citizens.

The question India must confront is simple: Are we governing for the country’s future, or merely managing today’s headlines? The answer will shape the nation our children inherit.