One year of Modi 2.0: Article 370 to Ram temple, so far so good for govt

In the past one year, the Narendra Modi government has accomplished much of the BJP’s core political agenda — scrapping provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave Jammu & Kashmir special status, as well as paving the way for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. It is yet to push for the third of its core agenda —adopting a uniform civil code for the country. However, the government getting Parliament to pass a law that made triple talaq a criminal offence was claimed as a step in that direction. Its amendment of the Citizenship Act led to widespread countrywide protests in December, January, and February. Here are the highlights of the year:

May 23: Modi leads BJP to a huge win in LS polls; the first govt since 1984 to return with a majority

 

May 30: New council of ministers sworn in; Amit Shah is home minister; veterans Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj dropped because of health reasons

 

May 30: First Cabinet of the new govt expands the ambit of PM KISAN scheme

 

June 21: PM marks 5th ‘International Yoga Day’ in Ranchi

 

July 30: Parliament passes Bill to criminalise instant triple talaq

 

August 5: Parliament revokes special status of Jammu & Kashmir, scraps provisions of Article 370

 

August 15: In his sixth Independence Day speech, PM speaks of making India a $5-trillion economy by 2024

September 22: ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston, addressed by the PM and US President Donald Trump

 

October 11-13: ‘Wuhan spirit’ to ‘Chennai connect’, Modi hosts Chinese president Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram 

 

November 5: India walks out of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade pact

 

November 9: Supreme Court verdict in Ram Janmabhoomi dispute paves way for construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site

 

December 11: Parliament amends Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), introduces religious criteria to citizenship

 

Mid-December to February: Massive countrywide protests against CAA and proposed NPR/NRC, dozens killed; Japanese PM cancelled visit

 

February 5: Govt notifies Ram Temple Trust to oversee construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya

 

February 24-25: ‘Namaste Trump’, India hosts Trump and family

 

February 23-26: Communal riots rage in northeast Delhi, at least 53, over two-thirds of them Muslims, killed

 

March 19: PM addresses the nation on Covid-19, appeals them to observe ‘janata curfew’ on March 22

 

March 24: PM announces first phase of lockdown

 

May 12: PM extends lockdown and announces Rs 20-trn economic package

 

Compiled by Archis Mohan