Realising the vision of Swachh Bharat: sweeping change from symbolism to substance

Yet another fortnight was observed across the country to mark the Narendra Modi Government’s ambitious Swachh Bharat campaign coinciding with the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. From the top leadership downwards to the panchayat level, events were organised to highlight the importance of cleanliness. With Prime Minister’s focus on Swachhata Hi Seva, government and other institutions spared no effort to emphasise on the service aspect.
To many critics and skeptics, these events were just hollow photo opportunities with little relevance to harsh ground realities. More of sloganeering and less of substance, tokenism vis a vis targeted approach et al were among the common criticisms.

To an independent observer, such accusations were harsh and certainly not constructive. There is absolutely no doubt that the implementation of the mission leaves much to be desired, the goals conceived are nowhere near, the achievements are not spectacular so far. Yet, are these reasons sufficient enough to rubbish a vision which if implemented in letter and spirit has the potential to immensely benefit the health and tourism sectors which are yet to be calculated. All said and done, the fact remains that the intent of the leadership is beyond doubt and there is a visible sustained endeavour to make it successful. But to make that mission viable in a country of over a billion plus, confronting developmental challenges, including poverty and illiteracy, is no mean task.

Then there is the bureaucratic indifference, the non-cooperative attitude of state governments led by opponents of the ruling NDA and above all the prevalence of a culture and tradition, which has apparently insisted more on personal hygiene rather than at a larger societal level.
Ownership of such initiatives at the community level is critical to the success of such ambitious mass programmes. It is important for communities to believe that they are important for its survival and prosperity. The manner in which Surat revived itself with a vengeance post plague is an evergreen example of how people power can work wonders with such initiatives.

One is reminded of the ice cream vendors in the tiny tourist spot of Diu who would refuse to give away the wrappers to their customers on the ground that the latter would throw it on the streets of the island, which in turn would spoil its beauty and thereby hit the local tourism industry. No such initiative can succeed if it is totally dependent on the government for its execution.

From Mata Amritanandamayi to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, there is a serious effort to clean our environment, particularly the rivers, and they are inspiring millions of their followers to follow suit. Thanks to awareness campaigns at educational institutions and peer pressure, there is a perceptible guilt feeling while throwing garbage on the streets and public places.

Perhaps for the first time in the history of the film industry, an exclusive feature film was made dedicated to one of the government’s most ambitious programmes of making India Open Defecation Free, and the film did extremely well at the box office too, making it apparently clear that cleanliness is fast becoming a people’s movement.

The concept of cleanliness does not encompass just the garbage piled up around offices and residential areas, on the highways and streets. It is also about keeping the tables clear, not keeping files pending for long, redressing grievances to the extent possible, reducing litigation which has denied justice to the deserving many, solving problems and thereby bringing down stress and conflict levels. Swachhata is not about conflict resolution but conflict avoidance.

When we relate the Father of the Nation with cleanliness, it becomes all the more socially significant. It’s about fighting the scourge of casteism, particularly untouchability, which unfortunately continues to tear apart our social fabric. It’s about the dignity of labour that Mahatma Gandhi practiced by cleaning the toilets of the Ashram himself. It’s about wiping out the streak of violence which off and on puts a question mark on our civilisational values.

In the present context, cleanliness is also about conquering within and outside the tendency to outrage the modesty of women, the onslaught on their dignity and self-respect. It’s about getting ourselves rid of superstitions, chauvinism, parochialism and extremism. It’s about cleaning the cobwebs in the mind that inhibit our growth as a proud and mature nation.

It would be naïve to confine the cleanliness to the physical plane. Cleanliness is about removing the impurities within and outside. Swachch Bharat Abhiyan has little future whatsoever if it remains another government programme, it has to be accepted, adopted and celebrated as a national mission, overcoming all political, social and ideological differences.

Like the Green Revolution and the White Revolution, which changed India’s profile as a hungry and malnourished nation, the broom revolution has the potential to turn us into a healthy nation in the real sense of the term.

K G Suresh

Director General, Indian Institute of Mass Communication

kgsure@gmail.com