- India Shining
India Shining was a political slogan referring to the overall feeling of economic optimism in
India after plentiful rains in 2003 and the success of the Indian IT boom. The slogan was popularized the then-rulingBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2004 Indian general elections.The slogan was initially developed as part of an Indian government campaign intended to promote India internationally. Advertising firm
Grey Worldwide won the campaign account in 2003; the slogan and the associated campaign was developed by national creative director Prathap Suthan, in consultation with Finance MinisterJaswant Singh .cite news | url=http://www.hvk.org/articles/0204/148.html | title="I would have done the same campaign for the Congress" | publisher=Mid-Day | date=2004-02-15 | accessdate=2006-09-14] cite news | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/apr/02shining.htm | title=The Man Behind the 'India Shining' Slogan | publisher=Rediff | date=2004-04-02 | accessdate=2006-09-13] The BJP-led government spent an estimated $20 millionUSD of government funds on national television advertisements and newspaper ads featuring the "India Shining" slogan.cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501040223-591347,00.html | title=Subcontinental Divide | first=Alex | last=Perry | publisher=TIME Asia | date=2004-02-16 | accessdate=2006-09-13]The India Shining slogan drew criticism from various columnistscite news | url=http://india.eu.org/920.html | title=Not So Shining, Really | publisher=Outlook India | date=
2004-02-02 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://india.eu.org/947.html | title=India shines as women grapple with darkness | publisher=Times of India | date=2004-02-04 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://india.eu.org/1109.html | title=The Battle Lines | publisher=Frontline | date=2004-02-27 | accessdate=2006-09-13] and political critics of the ruling National Democratic Alliance governmentcite news | url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/01/25/stories/2004012509030300.htm | title= Sonia questions 'India shining' slogan | publisher=The Hindu | date=2004-01-25 | accessdate=2006-09-14] cite news | url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/02/17/stories/2004021702860400.htm | title=BJP's 'India shining' campaign eyewash: Congress | publisher=The Hindu | date=2004-02-17 | accessdate=2006-09-14] for glossing over a variety of social problems, including poverty and social inequality.The slogan was then used as a central theme in the BJP's campaign for the 2004 national elections, a move criticized by the BJP's political opponents, who felt that public money was being used for partisan purposes. In response, the Indian Election Commission banned the slogan's broadcast until after the elections, although BJP politicians continued to use the slogan in other contexts.cite news | url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2004/10/03/stories/2004100300160200.htm | title=A campaign that lost sheen | publisher=The Hindu Magazine | date=
2004-08-03 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://www.indiainfoline.com/nevi/fail.html | title=India Shining...Feel Good vs Fail Good | publisher=India Infoline | date=2004-02-10 | accessdate=2006-09-13]Some editorials also suggested that the India Shining campaign was one of the causes for the subsequent defeat of the
Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in the 2004 parliamentary elections, particularly in urban areas, the target audience of the campaign.cite news | url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2004/05/14/stories/2004051406131000.htm | title=The Meaning of Verdict 2004 | publisher=The Hindu | date=2004-05-14 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/4-5-13/21444.html | title=Congress Defeats BJP in India's Parliamentary Election | publisher=The Epoch Times | date=2004-05-13 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3711395.stm | title=How India's elections were won and lost | publisher=BBC | date=2004-05-13 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/05/14/stories/2004051406721200.htm | title= India shines through Verdict 2004 | publisher=The Hindu | date=2004-05-14 | accessdate=2006-09-13] .The negative assessment of the India Shining campaign was echoed after the election by former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, who described it as "valid," but "inappropriate for our election campaign...By making them verbal icons of our election campaign, we gave our political opponents an opportunity to highlight other aspects of India's contemporary reality...which questioned our claim."cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3756387.stm | title=BJP admits 'India Shining' error | publisher=BBC | date=
2004-05-28 | accessdate=2006-09-13] cite news | url=http://india.eu.org/1634.html | title=India Shining backfired: Advani | publisher=Times of India | date=2004-05-29 | accessdate=2006-09-13]Controversy
There has been controversy over the "India Shining" advertisements as whether the governments, States or Centre are not permitted to use taxpayer’s money to promote any political gain. The BJP government has spent an approximate cost of
Rs. 500crores for the advertisements campaign during 2004 Parliament elections. [http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/feb/21guest.htm India shining has Mr Joshi worried.] [http://www.indiatogether.org/2004/feb/edt-shining.htm Govt shining, Media mining.]References
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