Prof. RAJAN KAPOOR
The aggressive advertisement campaign launched by Mammohan Singh govt. of UPA-2 (now, put on hold) may be a precursor to early Lok –Sabha elections. This government has just concluded its four years in power and has released its report card. The report card boasts of achievements of the government and also showcases its resolve to carry forward its agenda of ‘pro- India’ and ‘pro-poor’ policies and programmes under the banner of REFORMS. The multimedia ad blitzkrieg unleashed by the government after the completion of four years in office is widely seen as an attempt by the ruling government to establish a rapport with the citizens of the country before going to polls. The multi media campaign is aimed at showcasing the achievements of the government to the masses . The publicity campaign being undertaken by the UPA-2 under the banner ‘ Bharat – Nirman’ is a very costly exercise. The ruling dispensation has already spent Rs 180 crores on this socalled awareness audio- video and print media campaign. Now, finance ministry panel has okayed Rs 630 crore for the 12th five-year plan for this advertisement campaign. The opposition , particularly the Left has slammed the government for wasting a huge sum of money of the taxpayers to highlight its so-called achievements . This amount, the opposition says, could have been used for various welfare schemes for the poor and the marginalized. Unfazed by its stinging criticism , congress –led UPA-2 accuses the opposition, particularly BJP, of doing cheap politics. To blunt the attack of the opposition, the party takes refuse in its democratic right to highlight the achievements of the government. It reminds NDA of undertaking ‘India –shinning campaign’ before 2004 elections and spending Rs 150 crores on the same.
This political blame game apart, the aggressive multimedia ad campaign unleashed by UPA-2 has set the tone of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It has indirectly sounded the bugle of general elections. The campaign is aimed at reaching out to the voters with the report card of UPA-2 achievements and to woo them psychologically to its fold in the run up to next year elections. The ads. have been so designed that it targets all the sections of the electorates. But, this whole campaign is ‘chiefly’ youth and middle –class targetted. The ads. about fast running metro trains, easier access to education loans to seek higher education and other popular schemes are intended to target the aspirations of the middle class;and to open up channels of communication with the youth and the middle class. It has well gauged the strength, stamina and anger of this new emerging section of Indian society. The middle class had already unnerved UPA-2 on the twin issue of corruption and women safety. This class stood like a rock behind civil society, especially anti- corruption crusaders like Anna –Hazare to press for the demand of enacting a strong anti- corruption legislation. Their strength and collective anger forced the ruling dispensation to get,though a lame Lokpal bill, passed in the Lok Sabha. The anger of middle class forced the government to effect drastic changes in the anti-rape law to stop heinous crime against women. The way the youth swarmed the streets of Delhi to protest against the rape and subsequent death of a young girl in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16 last year, brought the government to its knees and the government was forced to come out with a strong anti-rape law,and that too within a month. Rahul Gandhi—— the Vice- President of the congress party too acknowledged the power of the middle class and in his opening speech in a brain storming session in Jaipur in January tried to connect with the middle class with a clear aim to woo this new powerful class to the fold of the congress party. To establish an emotional bond with the youth ,especially women, he declared,” Pehle Aurat Ka Samaan Phir Bharat Nirman”.( First comes the honour of women, then building the Nation.)
Though a big chunk of these ads. are meant to attract youth and middle class of the country, yet this ad campaign is marked by pan – India philosophy. The campaign showcases various pro-poor and public delivery programmes undertaken by the ruling dispensation during its rule. MNEGRA ,amongst the other pro-poor schemes, is the best bet of UPA-2. It has been aggressively highlighted as the most successful rural employment guarantee scheme conceived and meticulously executed by UPA-2. To keep its traditional vote bank intact, ads showcasing the launch of various welfare schemes for the minority community are too being aired and telecast. The Pan – India philosophy of this ad. campaign is an attempt by the government to sell its agenda of Inclusive growth to the masses. The opposition, especially the Left has always dubbed the government as an agent of the corporate houses and MNCs; and blew its reputation to pieces when UPA-2 opened up FDI in retail and multibrand . UPA -2 came under heavy fire too when it failed to arrest the wave of corruption and inflation. The ‘ Bharat- Nirman’ campaign is so designed as to blunt the attack of opposition on issues that still haunt UPA-2. The campaign is designed to send a broad signal that policies and programmes of UPA-2 have ushered in all-round development and inclusive growth. The theme song ‘ Meelon Hum aa gaye, Meelon Hume jaana Hai’ of the whole ‘Bharat Nirman’ campaign goes with the pro-poor and all inclusive growth agenda of the government.
What will be the fate of this ‘Bharat –Nirman’ campaign is yet to be seen? Going by the past experience of NDA government’s ‘ India shinning’ campaign which boomeranged on NDA, the future of UPA-2 government’s campaign too does not seem to be very bright ,though it is early to make any such prediction in this regard. There is a big difference between the nature of campaign of UPA -2 and NDA. NDA government’s campaign was metro and rich centric. On the contrary, UPA-2 government’s ad campaign is Pan – India centric. What goes against UPA -2 is its tainted image. The incumbent government gets bogged down in a series of scams during its four years rule and did precious little to do anything substantive to arrest the wave of corruption. The government remained silent on a majority of issues that beset the nation and the agenda of the government was chiefly set by courts, civil society and opposition.
In this background, this multi media ads campaign definitly seems to be an exercise by UPA-2 to resurrect its fledgling image and to deflect attention from its inherent weaknesses.
Thus, these bourgeoisie political parties are wasting the hard earned money of the working class to garner their votes. The corporate media too is exploiting these whims and maneovers of the ruling dispensation for amassing more and more money. It is pity that the fortunes of the less fortunate will not undergo any meaningful change through this vote –catching ad campaign.
No comments:
Post a Comment