MissionShakti – ‘Don’t Forget Aam Aadmi’

Raj Kumar, 25, a carpenter from Jharkhand, lauds India’s entry to elite space prowess but he wishes that the government will pay more attention to the issues that affect the lives of the common man…

If we can shoot missiles in space, we can surely develop technology to keep our rivers clean and make our waste management practices more efficient too, isn’t it? This was the thought that came to my mind when I heard the Mission Shakti announcement.

I heard that before Prime Minister announced this achievement on national television, many people were expecting it to be a ‘demonetisation-esque’ announcement. Some people panicked when Modiji got a bit delayed in making the announcement, but later sighed in relief, when they realised that Mission Shakti would not have any direct impact on their daily lives.  

India can now shoot down satellites in space. I am proud of this achievement and I have been watching to news channels to understand more. I learnt that India is the fourth country in the world after the U.S, Russia and China with access to the anti-satellite missile technology that Mission Shakti boasts of. This missile can shoot down any other satellite in space if the need arises. And I find it unbelievable that we have done this before countries like Australia, England and France!

Having said that, while the BJP government is making big strides in space, I feel they should not forget the ground realities. As a country, after we have begun to feel more secure strategically, we would also like to feel more secure financially. Narendra Modi should think about giving benefits to workers in the vast unorganized sector — of which I am a part.

I am happy that Narendra Modi has made an effort to reach out to the likes of us through initiatives like Mann ki baat. It makes me feel as if I am a part of the country’s monumental achievements. My life has definitely changed for the better in the past five years. For that, I would give the credit to both my hard work and the government policies.

I admire the NDA government’s work, but they need to be cautious now, as after one has taken care of external problems, people will start questioning the government on problems that affect them directly. This government has been given one chance, and it has taken care of larger matters, but if it comes to power the second time around, it needs to look at the smaller issues that matter a lot.