We have recently come across, during the election campaigning in West Bengal, the specific changed statement of PM Narendra Modi in the shape of a slogan as “Sabka sath, Sabka vikas, Sabka hisab”.
This is a very loaded statement and has a number of meanings and connotations.
It is for the interpreter to interpret those in his or her choicest manner.
Generally speaking, PM Modi doesn’t speak words or sentences that have double or different meanings.
But this time, after due thought, he has done so; therefore, it needs to be decoded here and interpreted in its fuller perspective.
In an ordinary course of events, when the election campaigning in any area takes place, the political parties and their leaders primarily speak keeping in view the elections and the connected issues incidental thereto.
Most of the things said are election-specific, and they usually lose their relevance once the campaigning is done.
However, sometimes it happens that the leaders speak about the policy of the future governments in case they get elected in the state or the centre.
These statements set a template for the future governments to implement their policy, which they mention about in their campaigning.
These become so important for all that they hardly ignore its implications, and if they do so, they do it only at their own peril.
PM Modi, while referring to the slogan ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas, sabka hisab’ during the campaigning, knew that the statement could be given different interpretations by the opposition parties and leaders and might bounce back.
Despite this, he reiterated the same to convey a very important message.
In the common parlance, these words can have meaning to the effect that the opposition members who were involved in illegal activities or who might have done wrong acts before, during or after the elections earlier would be taken to task once the results go in favour of the BJP.
However, PM Modi had his own targets while he delivered these statements, besides the usual meaning of the term.
The political importance lies in whether the issue moves from public comment into formal action, party response, court record, election authority notice or administrative decision.
For public institutions and political groups, the next test is whether the issue remains a public argument or turns into a formal response, legal proceeding, administrative instruction or election-related communication.
