Why We Shouldn’t Debate On Modi As The Future PM
I am flummoxed a bit. No, not because Narendra Modi won yet
again with a thumping majority but because; when the talking point of the day
should have been his spectacular win against all odds it turned out that whole
of our main stream media was more interested for his future priministrial
prospect. No media house, not one of them even discussed how important the win
is for the state of Gujarat and the development that is attached thereof. Neither
had I found any discussion on the anti-incumbency factor that never appeared to
be there with Modi. No discussions on the reasons why Modi could manage to
achieve such high numbers either. Nothing on the minorities and their
involvement in the mainstream post this massive mandate. All that whole of
India seems interested to know, or so as it is projected by our media is if and
when BJP going to project Modi as their PM candidate for 2014 general elections.
This I feel is entirely superfluous, at least at this point and I have reasons
to say so.
First thing, we are good two years away from the next
general elections, provided Mulayam and Mayawati have some different ideas. And
it is no secret that our prevailing political semantics doesn’t look too
favorable for a single party to have the numbers to form the government of
their own. Neither Congress nor BJP can reach the number, which I am damn
confident about; more so when we see regional parties are making a substantial
mark on the national politics and eating into votes of both the national
parties at an alarming rate. Whether we like it or not, coalition is the norm
going forward. And as per Manmohan Sing’s favorite excuse for every
incompetency; the so called coalition Dharma necessitates prostration before
each of the ally for sustaining relationship. So any coalition that wishes to
float a prospective PM candidate’s name, it has to come from mutual covenant.
We may not want to read this but Modi being projected as the next priministrial
candidate of NDA would evoke demurrals from the core NDA constituents. Nitish
Kumar could be one such guy who may not favour Modi leading the war, come 2014.
But that is none of our botherations as voters. This is certainly an internal
matter of BJP and its allies to sort-out in between and we are not getting into
that debate. So when so much complexity that exists in coming up with a name, asking
BJP members, each time one comes for debate, about their views on Modi and his
route to Delhi is not only juvenile but grossly out of place. What our media
people want to hear for an answer? Or is it that they believe, given a chance
BJP would look any farther than Modi for the post? Or if they don’t relentlessly
echo on this question BJP might just forget to name one?
Even if one argues, it is something the nation must know; do
you feel there is anything to debate whether Modi fits the bill for the PM’s
chair or not? Simple have/haven’t listing of the qualities one aspires to see
in the PM of the nation would tell if Modi falls inline or irate away. A person
who has proven his credentials as a strong administrator beyond any doubt, for
sure makes the cut as the prospective PM, as far as delivery is concerned. Not
for a year or two but for close to a decade he has delivered on the promised
lines. And for this to assert you don’t require media debates but just one hour
drive on the highways that cuts through the state. If you ask about vision, I
don’t see anyone in the contemporary politics having more than what Modi has. No,
not even Nitish Kumar, if you ask. The idea behind the cleaning up task of
Sabarmati River on war footnotes is one such example of vision put into
reality. Now people of Ahmedabad not only have a river front but also, the real
estate in and around the riverbed have gone up considerably. Planning to setup
committees to interact with the farmers at the grassroots directly and educating
them on better means and methods of production growth is vision for you.
Cutting down on government sponsored free goodies like free electricity, water
and may such but yet making the end users capable enough to withstand the no
free goods era successfully is vision for you. If harping on the religious harmony
in the society is your cup of tea, it should be clear that there isn’t anything
untoward that happened post the horrific 2002 episode. If the accusations are
there on Modi for 2002 riots shouldn’t there be accolades as well for ensuring
harmonious environment since then? More so when one knows how volatile and
sensitive the state is.
In all of this the Congress response to Modi’s future
prospects is funny to say the least. For them Modi is still a regional leader
who can’t make it to the North Block. I would have agreed to this bizarre claim
hadn’t I got the opportunity to know about the candidate Congress may and will
project as their PM candidate for 2014. For them a certain Rahul Gandhi, who is
yet to chair any kind of responsible post looks far way eligible than Narendra
Modi. Modi’s hatrick is not good enough of a yardstick to judge his leadership
but someone else barely managing to win seats under double digits and that too after
virtually camping in the state for three years is. How? Modi being hailed as a
successful CM, worldwide is not enough a parameter of his brilliant managerial
skills but someone fearful of assuming even a junior minister’s post is more accomplished
than the pro. Someone like Modi who has made his way to the top from scratch
through thick and thins doesn’t seem to carry enough rational for the top job
but the other who has got nothing but a surname to showcase as achievement
does. I mean, one can go on differentiating till eternity. Honestly; if at all
we want a debate on this, can’t we have some rational infused into it to start
with?
The most annoying that I find in this whole debate of Modi
as PM is the idea going against the ethos of democracy. Since when democracy
has allowed a bunch of self-righteous individuals to sit in the comfort of A/C
rooms and decide who should lead the nation in coming years? Shouldn’t the
people of India decide whom they want as their leader going forward? Can we for
once give our intellectualism some much deserved rest and let the lesser
mortals decide the best for them through ballots? Vested interest, unsolicited
agendas, slavery can wait in the bigger interest of the nation. Can’t it?
So
whenever I see a debate going around on Modi and he being touted as a
prospective candidate running for the post of PM in 2014, I just laugh to the
core. Laugh at it, not because I find it funny but because I find it ruthlessly
irritating. Be it for or against Modi or for that matter even Rahul Gandhi,
can’t we just wait till 2014 to come and let the people of the nation have
their say than we intellectuals burning midnight oil in showcasing our
fractured intellectualism and sycophancy in the form of cerebral stupidity?
i was in two minds abt modi but i really feel now that we need people like him to lead the country. congress(the biggest burden on the country) will eventually sell this country .Also we need to slaughter people like fuckruddin chudaisi from this earth as rabid dogs like him are getting bolder day by day. i wish that chudaisi goes to gujarat and tries his speeches. he will be immedeately sent to hell to meet his promised 72 virgins.....
ReplyDeleteModi will be hanged at Godhra Jail and buried inside on 1Oct2014 for his organized crime against humanity. Modi the only CM begging US visa. Modi the only CM barred from entering USA.
ReplyDeleteApropos comparison between Modi and Nitish it must be accepted
ReplyDeletethat while Modi inherited Gujrat, a relatively developed state of the country, Nitish took over a virtual “Black Hole” in the
name of Bihar from Lalu. No one denies Modi’s contribution in further developing
the state but he could certainly do w/o the hype and the mega self PR exercise wasting hundreds and
thousands of crores of public money which could be put to better use. Further, Why
is Modi so obsessed with addressing PIOs in …Britain….America...? It is not the people selling samosas and vending tabloids in West who are
going to make him the PM but it is the people of this country who are going to
decide that ….so BJP must project him as the next PM. Let people decide. But
why is BJP not doing that ? Finally, let
there be no illusion that Modi has been
re-elected for 3rd time because of his development work….fact of the
matter is even if Modi had slept like a
Kumbhakaran w/o doing any development
work for the last 10yrs still the Gujrat election results would not have been
any different .... the author knows it…...
????????????????/
ReplyDeletecomparison between Modi and Nitish is interesting..but the author must remember that Modi inwhile while
ReplyDelete..comparison wi
ReplyDeleteWhy are we, as a nation, transfixed on “who” will become the next PM?
ReplyDeleteEvery party has a manifesto and in this age of coalition politics, it is
the manifesto that (should) becomes the guiding force. So, the person
who becomes the PM will be responsible for implementing the manifesto,
whether it is Modi or Todi, that is (should be) immaterial. Let us focus
on the manifesto. Please do not get drawn into this frenzy that is
being created by the media. They have their TRPs to manage, at any cost.
I would love to post this question to the Arnabs and the Rajdeeps of
this world. Why do they not engage the intellegentsia of this country on
the debate of which party has what to say as part of their manifesto?
That would be a boring discussion, full of terminology drawn from
economics, defense, technology etc. To participate, people will have to
think about their priorities and then come up with concrete suggestions.
That will certainly not help the TRPs. People – STOP, THINK and FORCE
the media to initiate a more meaningful discussion.