Notwithstanding being touted as performance-oriented reshuffle of the Union Cabinet, it turned out to be an exercise which was clearly driven by politics. This is why many non-performing ministers are still in the cabinet, while those being axed are now busy finding real reasons behind their unceremonious exit.
Two ministers Rajib Prasad Rudy and Uma Bharti have already refuted charges of non-performance. While Mr. Rudy, who has been dropped from the cabinet, is of the opinion that failure to publicise the good works done by his ministry had cost him the job, on the other hand, Uma Bharti, who barely managed to remain a minister, has decided to launch a yatra along the banks of river Ganges to make people aware on the need to keep the river clean.
Clearly the utterances of Mr. Rudy and Ms. Bharti will not please the BJP leadership as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since becoming the Prime Minister Mr. Modi put enough stress on job creation. This is why Skill Development Ministry was created. But to tell the truth, after more than three years the new ministry which was formed with a specific goal, remained a non-starter. People, especially the youths are still being unaware about the benefits of approaching the ministry. Clearly Mr. Rudy and his ministry have failed to live up to the expectations.
Similarly, a lot has been said about cleaning and rejuvenation of river Ganges. Lot of money has also been spent, without any visible results. River Ganges remains as dirty and polluted as ever. Excessive population, polluting industries situated on the banks of the river may be the reasons, but the ministry even after three years is yet to make a concrete plan to curb these menaces. So like Mr. Rudy, Ms. Bharti was also a non-performing minister. Both were supposed to be dropped from the ministry. But in a strange move, the Prime Minister dropped one and retained the other.
No logic, only politics can explain the rationale behind such a decision where one has been given marching order and the other escaped with minor punishment for the same crime. It was easy for Mr. Modi to drop Mr.Rudy as he is still not considered as a heavyweight leader in his party. Even in his home State Bihar, he is not among the top leaders of the party. Moreover, a couple of new ministers have been inducted in the Union Cabinet this time. So someone from Bihar had to be dropped. So the axe fell on him.
But same was not the case with Uma Bharti. She was not only one of the faces during Ram Janambhumi-Babri Masjid movement, but also former chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and RSS, the ideological strength behind BJP. Upset over the possibility of being dropped Ms. Bharti approached RSS and with the intervention retained her place in the Cabinet. So, from this example alone one can safely conclude that the main purpose of Narendra Modi’s third round of cabinet reshuffle in three years could not achieve its desired goal.
