Indians have grown used to getting nice things from politicians
It’s no longer enough to win votes
AN INDIAN receiving any sort of benefit from the government in recent years was left in little doubt of whom to thank. Got vaccinated against covid? Narendra Modi, the prime minister, beamed from the certificate. Applied for housing under a 50-year-old programme? The words pradhan mantri (prime minister) were written all over the paperwork. Received a cash injection from the state government? Probably advertised by posters displaying the relevant chief minister’s visage.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The waning power of handouts”
From the July 6th 2024 edition
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