by A. G. NOORANI
October 2002: Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, addressing a gathering at the beginning of the fourth leg of the Gaurav Yatra from the Ambaji temple, Banaskantha, Gujarat. PHOTO/The Hindu Archives
A year and a half after he became Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, the people of India have begun to discover that Narendra Damodardas Modi is a flawed character who has proved himself unfit to sit on the chair on which Jawaharlal Nehru once sat. Nehru united the country. Modi is a quintessentially divisive figure. Even before he became Prime Minister, he had boldly nailed his colours on to the mast for all to see. The pattern is alarming. “The nation and Hindus are one. Only if Hindus develop will the nation develop. Unity of Hindus will strengthen the nation,” he said in the presence of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at a Hindu Samajotsava organised by the RSS in Mangalore. He said: “In Gujarat, an ordinary swayamsewak of the RSS [that is, Modi himself] is toiling to make Gujarat the number one State in the country.” He added that he had “spent his entire life for Hindu Samaj” (Organiser; February 11, 2007).
In an interview to Reuters, after his succession was all but sealed, Modi was asked: “But do you think you did the right thing in 2002?” (in the pogrom). He replied: “Absolutely.” He was also asked: “People want to know who is the real Modi—Hindu nationalist leader or pro-business Chief Minister.” Modi explained in rich detail: “I am a nationalist. I’m patriotic. Nothing is wrong. I am a born Hindu. Nothing is wrong. So, I am a Hindu nationalist. So, yes, you can say I’m a Hindu nationalist because I’m a born Hindu” (Indian Express; July 13, 2013).
Those who had pinned their hopes on Modi as “The Deliverer” find little sign of his delivering on the promises he had so lavishly made. The promised acche din (good days) have turned out to be a deceptive mirage; bure din (evil days) are now upon us with highly charged communal statements and accusations; a systematic purge of cultural and educational institutions; killings, lynchings and the like without any censure by the chief executive of the nation. Few care to understand what his meaningful and continued silence signifies. Desperate pleas by admirers—to control the “fringe elements”, curb the purveyors of hate and censure, and condemn loudly and without qualification the killings and the spread of intolerance and hate—leave Modi unmoved. For these elements comprise the core of his constituency. The record, viewed as an entire whole, provides ample warning of what lies ahead of us today.
U.S. envoy’s assessment
It is very important for the nation to assess accurately its Prime Minister. Modi has not changed one bit from the Modi who repelled many during his days in Gujarat. Horrible as the pogrom on his watch was, worse, still, was his callous conduct on the rehabilitation of its victims. A strikingly accurate appraisal of the man was made nearly a decade ago by an astute diplomat. Mark his words, so perceptive and insightful and so far removed from the frenzied applause of columnists, TV anchors, businessmen and the like: “Modi has successfully branded himself as a non-corrupt, efficient administrator, as a facilitator of business in a State with a deep commercial culture, and as a no-nonsense, law and order politician who looks after the interests of the Hindu majority. Modi’s backers in the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] now hope to convince the party leadership that he can use these positive traits to attract voters throughout India. Some voters believe, or hope, that the voters will forget and forgive Modi’s role in the 2002 bloodshed, once they learn to appreciate his other qualities.…
“In public appearances, Modi can be charming and likeable. By all accounts, however, he is an insular, distrustful person who rules with a small group of advisers. This inner circle acts as a buffer between the Chief Minister and his Cabinet and party. He reigns more by fear and intimidation than by inclusiveness and consensus, and is rude, condescending and often derogatory to even high-level party officials. He hoards power and often leaves his Ministers in the cold when making decisions that affect their portfolios” (emphasis added, throughout).
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