The opposition, in its desperation to oppose anything that the ruling party says or does, seems to be following a particular pattern in its attack, as it is unable to attack the ruling party and the Govt. on the basis of content. I, as a common man and being apolitical, have observed this pattern over a period of time and am able to predict the logic and substance of the opposition pretty accurately! I am giving this pattern below for the information of the public at large and in the larger interest of our Nations and its people.

1. Exaggerate the negative effects if any or create the negative effects if none exists, creatively.
Ex.: Arvind Kejriwal: There is complete breakdown of law and order situation in Punjab. (On the jail break)
The jail break is planned by the Govt.
The aam Indian feels: Let Arvind take care of his tiny state first before commenting on any other state.
Ex.: Modi is Mussolini or Hitler!
Aam Indian's feel: If a democratically elected Govt. takes strong action as opposed to no action for decades by the opposition it does not mean that the PM is a dictator, This comment is an insult on the people of India who have elected this Govt. If the PM is in touch with people on a continuous basis and if he talks to people instead of just Parliament, he is not a dictator. Just because the opposition never kept in touch with the people, once elected, for 5 whole years, at least twice and this govt. is in continuous touch with the people, it is not that this Govt is dictatorial or PM is a dictator.

2. Accuse the ruling party of not doing something which even the person who accuses never has done. Ex. The PM should attend Parliament every day as long as the Parliament is in session. Else we will not let the parliament run! The aam Indian feels: Raga who said this was absconding for more than two months during the entire period Parliament was in session. At the same time the same opposition party people said it was Rahul's prerogative to go on vacation and enjoy!

3. 'The PM should answer the queries of MP's!' Aam Indian feels: Why not the empowered and accountable ministers concerned answer who are in charge of the matter raised? Are they not in a better position to do so?

4. 'This Govt. has no experience of governing! So they don't know anything and do things blindly without applying their mind. They decide, then think and do not listen to anyone else!'
Aam Indian feels: Thank God this Govt does not have experience of governing! Maintenance of status quo and policy & decision making paralysis were the key aspects of the experience of the opposition! Do they want to maintain the status quo by following the same?

5. This Govt. does not know governance and they have done nothing in the last two and a half years. Aam Indian feels: What has the opposition done in the last 25 years? What ever they claim to have done has landed the country where it is today! Take J&K, take corruption and scams, black money, fake money or governance even. The record of the opposition when it was in power is deplorable. Is it a switch that you make on and the change in governance automatically takes place? The very parties accusing the Govt thus, cannot implement a single change in their own set-up leave alone implementing a change in this vast nation of 125 crore people. Once the Govt. acts, the opposition that accuses the Govt. of nothing done says it is dictatorial!

6. 'We have done this already in the past or at least we have thought about this idea for 15 years! There in nothing new in what this govt is doing!' Ex.: The surgical strike against Pakistan and the cruel khoom ki dalai remark. The surgical strike against fake money, the source of terrorism and black money. Aam Indian feels: Why did you not act on it if you have thought about something for 15 years? Were you paralyzed? Why should every thing that the Govt implements now should be a brand new idea? Is it that the opposition has the sole proprietary rights over and idea? They should have patented such ideas then and there.

7. P Chidambaram says he would have resigned if his PM had asked him to demonetize! Aam Indian feels: It is understandable knowing the trouble that he may personally face in doing it. It is also understandable because he never had a PM who would demand anything! Does he forget his PM was on the Times cover page for the most non-performing PM in the world? Also no other party expects its members to toe the line as the Congress party — this everyone knows in the country. Else you are sacked or sidelined! See what happened to its own spokesperson Manish tiwari- before his ghar-vaapsi!

8. Demand resignation of some minister the State or Centre Govt. Aam Indian feels: Of course PM's resignation has been sought many times! We know why. Remove the major obstacle for their coming back to power at least in the next elections! So far the panacea for huge corruption was to let the minister in charge go! With that the entire sin is washed out!! This encouraged all to make as much money as possible and quit, such an easy way out!

9. The ruling party should not take any credit for what it does but the opposition can take credit for nothing that it has done for decades! Ex. The surgical strike against Pakistan. The claim that whatever this Govt does is nothing new and copied from us! Aam Indian feels: How can you say that the Govt that takes such a critical decision as the surgical strike against Pakistan and gets it executed brilliantly through the military that is one of its critical wings, should not take credit? What is wrong if both the military and the Govt take credit, and why it should be only Military and not the Govt.? After all for the past decades there was no action, and we were only taking terrorism from across the border as though it is something unavoidable or unfortunate. Who is responsible for this no action? If it is Govt. the opposition should blame itself! So if the action is there, the Govt should take the credit along with the Military. After all the same Military was there before this latest surgical strike as well! For once and for the first time we have put Pakistan in its place, both militarily and diplomatically.

10. The Govt should not take any action in a short time. Issues should be discussed in Parliament at length before they are implemented. Ex. the surgical strike against Pakistan, the surgical strike against fake and black currency. Aam Indian feels: Going by the stalling of the Parliament by the opposition for silly reasons, if at all the Parliament functions, how long after the action can be taken? Will not the delay in these cases affect and completely nullify the very result that the action is intended to produce?

11. If the Govt does not act, say the Govt. has done nothing in the last two and half years say it has come to power only on empty promises. If it does take action, say it did not consult, or it does and then thinks, or it does not give time at all and is rash, and more than anything it is dictatorial. Aam Indian feels: Is the opposition clear what it wants from the Govt.?

12. If none of the above is resorted to by opposition and even if some of them are resorted to, the opposition does not forget to do character assassination of particularly the PM! Aam Indian feels: It shows they are stooping to the lowest levels: They have no stuff, leave alone leadership- to counter him! And they give the impression to the common man that they are doing all this in desperate fear of Modi and that they would not be able to get back to power at all if this Govt. under Modi continues! They forget the more they indulge in character assassination of the PM the common man is getting an impression that they are competing with the PM. The common man is also very impressed with the PM that he completely ignores these and does not even answer any of these personal attacks and waste his time. The common man is happy that the PM completely ignores all those who indulge in this and treats them with the disdain they deserve when they indulge in such cheap character assassination. Aam Indian also feels; the more Raga talks, the more the people realize that the content in him is so low that he cannot compete with practically anyone on consistency and leadership. Kejriwal is killed by his own ambition to become PM at any cost so he excels everyone else in indulging in character assassination of the PM. Every time he does it so blindly — blinded by his own ambition- he is losing the credibility of people who elected him as the CM of a tiny state. He has reached his level of incompetence already!

13. 'The Govt should obey the Opposition! Who should answer their question, who should attend the Parliament and when etc. should be the dictates of the opposition! The Govt should do what the opposition says! Else the Govt. and particularly the PM is dictatorial! Aam Indian feels: This is ridiculous: they did not elect a Govt. just to follow what all the opposition says, in which case they would have elected the opposition. The opposition does not understand their role in a democracy. This is understandable as the major opposition party does not have the experience of being in the opposition largely and they need time to learn. But in more than two and a half years they have learnt nothing of the opposition role and are dyslexic in this respect. If what opposition feels and says is to be followed by the Govt., then losing in an election is a positive point and winning an election is a negative point!

14. Bring in somehow, while criticizing the Govt., invariably the farmer, the oppressed poor people, the Dalits and the minorities and how badly they are affected and thus prove how the Govt. is only for the rich and the beautiful. Aam Indian feels: The opposition links any issue with these standard categories whether or not the issue involved has any connection with them! The common people have become aware that the slogan of Garibi Hatao and the crocodile tears they shed is only for getting votes. No Govt is going to take care of Aam Inidan's home & family and only he can take care of his home & family. These standard slogans have got worn out and now the people, once they hear such slogans and talk from politicians get suspicious about the intentions of people raising them and know that they are intended to get votes for themselves and to fool the public- for another five years!.

15. Amongst the entire opposition Nitish Kumar, the Bihar CM, stands out as one who is different by his support to the ban of notes of high denomination. By this he has proved he is a nationalist first and then a typical 'Indian politician'. He has proved he is for long term good of the Nation and its people and is miles ahead of Kejriwal and Raga in integrity, vision, and leadership. How nice it would be if Modi and Nitish come together! If this is to happen Nitish should shed his ego a little bit, that's all.

16. All of these points that the opposition resorts to has become a standard system for them and their stand is easily predictable as these fall into a pattern. All their spokespersons are drilled into this standard pattern of defense, which actually exposes them more and defends them less. Incidentally none of our press or media personnel, -paid or unpaid- barring a few exceptions ask these people to explain why or how they are saying what they are saying. This further encourages these people to come out with more of such behavior or emboldens them to come out with bizarre accusations or creative but utter lies even! 1n the least why the Press and the media simply do not just remind them what they said before on an issue or a person, what they demanded and what happened actually later.

Here we are reproducing the total system followed by the opposition and revealing the pattern so that the general public may understand them better:
i. Exaggerate the negative effects if any or create the negative effects if none exists.
ii. Accuse the ruling party of not doing something which even the person who accuses never has done.
iii.The PM should answer the queries of MP's!'
iv.This Govt. has no experience of governing! So they don't know anything and do things blindly without applying their mind. They decide, then think and do not listen to anyone else!'
v.This Govt. does not know governance and they have done nothing in the last two and a half years.
vi.'We have done this already in the past or at least we have thought about this idea for 15 years! There in nothing new in what this govt is doing!'
vii.PChidambaram says he would have resigned if his PM had asked him to demonetize!
viii.Demand resignation of some minister the State or Centre Govt.
ix.The ruling party should not take any credit for what it does but the opposition can take credit for nothing that it has done for decades!
x.The Govt should not take any action in a short time. Issues should be discussed in Parliament at length before they are implemented.
xi.If the Govt does not act, say the Govt. has done nothing in the last two and half years and it has come to power only on empty promises; if it does something, say it did not consult, or it does and then thinks, or it does not give time at all and is rash, and more than anything it is dictatorial.
xii.If none of the above is resorted to by opposition and even if some of them are resorted to, the opposition does not forget to do character assassination of particularly the PM!
xiii.'The Govt should obey the Opposition! From who should answer their question to who should attend the Parliament etc? The Govt should do what they say! Else they are and particularly the PM is dictatorial!
xiv.Bring in somehow, while criticizing the Govt., invariably the farmer, the oppressed poor people, the dalits and the minorities and how badly they are affected and thus prove how the Govt. is only for the rich and the beautiful.
xv.Amongst the entire opposition Nitish stands out as one who is different by his support to the ban of notes of high denomination. By this he has proved he is nationalist first and then a typical 'Indian politician'. He has proved his miles ahead of Kejriwal and Raga in leadership and having his focus right on India and its people.

17. The Aam Indian thinks: For a moment let us assume India and it people is a vehicle. the engine-accelerator for this vehicle is the ruling party and the brake, the opposition. Unless both are functional, the vehicle will not function!

The Aam Indian understands that the accelerator and the brake are opposites. Yet unless both are functional the vehicle is dysfunctional. And the direct effect will be on him!

How can both opposites be functional? This can happen only if the focus or the purpose of both are the same. In the case of accelerator and brake, the focus and purpose is the safety and functionality of the vehicle and its occupants. In the case of democracy, both the ruling party i.e., the Govt., and the opposition should have one focus and purpose and that is doing good to the people of the country. In the absence of this single focus, the vehicle — the Nation and its people — will be rendered dysfunctional. Either it is a vehicle with no engine — accelerator or with no brake!

Let us see what is the focus of the ruling party and the opposition in India currently: To get the focus we have to identify the receiver of the result of actions of the Govt. and of the opposition and not anything else

What is difficult to deny for any citizen is that what ever this Govt has done in the last over two and a half years, the recipient is the people of this Nation and this Nation. Look at the various missions that have been initiated and implemented or under implementation for proof. See the latest actions by this Govt. on J&K- the surgical strike on Pakistan terror camps — and the surgical strikes on fake and black money. It will be difficult for anyone to prove that this is not in the interest of the people in this country. At least there is no reason to suspect the actions of the present Govt. as being focused on one individual or a family or even a party directly or indirectly!

Let's think about the current focus of the opposition parties in this country: Who have been the recipient of what ever the opposition has done for the past two and a half years?

Is the opposition's focus the people of this country? No, not at all it seems. From the behavior of the opposition it is clear the focus is not the people, not even the Nation but it is the ruling party and how to stop it from functioning. Taking the ruling party as its competitor. The focus of the opposition is clearly the ruling party which it has taken as it competitor. Secondly the focus clearly seems to be itself, the opposition itself, as to how to get maximum possible advantage to itself from any situation, decision and action of the ruling party i.e., the Govt. Had the focus been the people, instead of taking the ruling party as its competitor, the opposition would be collaborating with the ruling party to give as much plus to people as possible. Or both the ruling and opposition parties would be vying with each other in giving maximum good to the people.

The first casualty because of the incorrect focus of the opposition is the mind-set of the opposition: The mind set is to oppose mindlessly and blindly anything that the Govt. says or does- whether it is good to the people or not! Once the mind-set is to oppose anything that the Govt. says or does, the question is simply how to go about doing it. Even in deciding how to do it, the opposition could have been positive i.e., criticize what is wrong, not who is wrong and come out with a suggestion as to how to do it better In other words, the criticism should be issue and method oriented and not personality oriented; only then it is positive criticism, else the criticism is negative and counterproductive. The common Indian sees the opposition stance on the surgical strikes against Pakistan and he is surprised to say the least!..

But our opposition is a classical case where you set your mind on opposing whatever the Govt. says or does, so ending up doing the wrong thing ( because anything that the Govt. says or does is wrong, even though it is good to the people) and go about doing it as efficiently as possible! The consequences are for all to see. The opposition is losing credibility of the people faster than ever before, if its spokespersons speak less it would take longer to lose the credibility of people. To do the right thing is effectiveness and to do the thing right is efficiency. At best our opposition is efficient but not effective! If you decide on doing the right thing and go about doing it not so efficiently, it is still far better than doing a wrong thing very efficiently. The Indian opposition is a classical example of doing the wrong thing efficiently, if we look at what best is happening.

But fortunately, the opposition in its blindness to oppose whatever the govt. says or does is not even doing it efficiently; it is desperate to stop the Govt. that has proved to be in action mode, for the first time in over six decades, at least certainly in the last decade. In its desperation the opposition has failed to use its intellectuals to come out with alternative better what to do and how to do and stooped to unimaginably low levels. Instead of criticizing the Govt. based on issues or its method of going about, it has stooped to the level of personal character assassination, which can be easily seen by the Aam Indian as such. In the process, the opposition is losing the credibility of the people of this country at an alarming rate, which is not good for the democratic traditions of this country. The main opposition party that did not get even 10% of the seats in the LokSabha should drop its arrogance and behave like a responsible opposition. Instead it is in denial mode, far removed from the pulse of the people. Once you lose credibility of the people, you will be sadly disappointed at the future election results, even if you are not already disappointed with the results of elections so far. The result that the opposition gets is exactly going to be the opposite of what it thinks it can achieve by indulging in such negative criticism. There is still time for the opposition to mend its ways i.e., it has only to shift its focus to the people of this country rather than fixing it on the ruling party or the PM or on itself or party, let alone on an individual or family. Pakistan has been in denial mode for decades and the congress party in India has been in denial mode for the last 3 years!