September 17th, 1950, was the year when Narendra Damodardas Modi was born, and I am writing this piece on his 73rd birthday today. Everyone bears witness to the fact that he is one of the strongest Prime Ministers Bharat has ever had post-independence, the most popular global leader today according to some recent surveys. He is set to match Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of serving three consecutive terms as Prime Minister, and he was the one who made Lok Sabha elections a presidential-style election for the first time in Bharat’s history, among other accomplishments. Let me delve into what makes this man a legend, who will be remembered for generations to come and who has left an indelible mark on Bharat’s political history by disrupting and redefining its politics.
First and foremost, it is Modi’s “nation first” outlook in everything that he does that gives him the clarity of vision to drive his decision-making. The fact that he doesn’t have any direct family whose interests he has to take care of makes him a credible and genuine nationalist leader in the eyes of Bharatiyas. Everyone is inspired by his personal success story, from a modest childhood to assuming the highest office in the country. Modi’s articulation skills are so impressive that his message penetrates the minds of every citizen of the country, albeit the majority are filled with admiration for him, and his critics can do little other than helplessly watch the magic he creates.
During the years of the recent Corona havoc, Modi’s request to the public to come out to their balconies and make sounds with their plates, bells, and whatever they can get their hands on to boost the morale of everyone, including the frontline workers, was immediately fulfilled to the letter by every single Bharatiya. This phenomenon cannot be created by anyone less than a legend. The way Modi sets the political narrative is unmatched by anyone else in the political arena today. Modi’s oratory skills, complemented by schemes and actions on the ground, have built such a rock-solid trust in the minds of the people that the opposition today is finding it hopelessly difficult to erase, no matter what they try to do. The right words, the right voice modulation, and the right expressions, mixed with the right blend of humor, keep everyone glued to his speeches and create a Pied Piper moment that keeps the voting machines ringing for Modi. Modi’s superb conversation-building skills shine bright when he meets film stars, scientists, sport personalities, business leaders, and others, leaving every one of them singing his praises. The fact that millions of people are proud to be called his “bhakts” today is a testament to Modi’s outstanding leadership attributes.
People who work closely with him say that he is a hard taskmaster, and that shows in the pace of implementation of projects. Modi is a rigorous and meticulous planner and administrator, and everyone has seen it even before his days as Gujarat CM during the Advani Rath Yatra. His no-nonsense attitude towards work keeps his team members on their toes. We can get an idea of how Modi would have operated by observing Amit Shah, Modi’s aide from his formative days in Gujarat. Modi never rests on his laurels. He is a 24/7 politician and gives his 100% to any election, no matter how small or big it may be. Due to this attitude, BJP, under his leadership, gained a reputation as an election machine. Once any election ends, Modi starts eyeing the next target, irrespective of the results of the last election. It’s evident that he follows what Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita – “you put in your effort and leave the results to me”. Modi is a master at strategy and loves to leave his opponents dumbstruck through intermittent masterstrokes which no one would have even thought about in their wildest dreams. His abolishment of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir and demonetization left the opposition in shock and the common people elated, converting them into his ardent bhakts.
Modi is full of disruptive ideas that no other leader has ever thought of in the history of independent Bharat. Which other Prime Minister earlier talked publicly about building toilets in his first year in power? The political elite thought that it was silly to talk about toilets and Swachh Bharat, but the common man and woman could completely relate to what he was saying and made everyone sit up. His idea to link bank accounts to Aadhar and send money directly to the accounts of the poor was a brilliant thought, and this was executed to perfection. While the opposition was busy creating memes on social media about him, Modi proved that his digital strategy was spot on, with digital transactions in Bharat leaping from 2,071 crore transactions in FY 2017-18 to 8,840 crore transactions in FY 2021-22. Developed countries in the world are now trying to emulate this, as Modi’s Bharat shines on the global stage. Modi’s engagement with world leaders has been phenomenal, as was superbly demonstrated in the recently held G20 Summit in Delhi, where the Delhi Declaration was unanimously accepted by all countries, earning Modi and Bharat praise from the international community.
The recent success of Chandrayaan – 3 brought Modi’s support to the development of space research in Bharat, which was again lauded by other countries. The opposition tried frantically to give credit to the scientists and not Modi, but the scientists themselves spoke very highly about the stewardship of this Pradhan Sevak. Modi seems to have his eyes on all the important milestones for the growth of his beloved nation and has appointed very competent ministers to drive them. It’s without a doubt evident that another of Modi’s big strengths is his uncanny skill in selecting the best people for the most complex jobs. His decisions sometimes raised eyebrows, but everyone later admits that Modi was absolutely right. Yogi Adityanath was once such prize pick for the CM of one of the biggest states of Bharat, Uttar Pradesh. Now, Yogi has won the hearts of everyone in his state through his flawless administration. People love their “bulldozer baba” and have voted him into power for a second term, much to the displeasure of the clueless opposition.
Modi’s decisive leadership has won the hearts of many. His bold decisions, such as the surgical strike and airstrike to send a strong message to a rogue neighboring country, have paid off. The fact that there has been no major terrorist attack outside of Kashmir in any other part of Bharat for the last 9 years is a testimony to the success of his efforts to keep terrorism in check. Again, the fact that no central minister has been accused of corruption speaks volumes about Modi’s zero-tolerance towards corruption. Modi checks all the important boxes and leaves the opposition with no other narrative to set except for ranting about unemployment, price rise, etc., which not many seem to care much about given the great things that they have seen Modi already deliver.
There are more such reasons why Modi is undoubtedly a legend in Bharatiya politics. I have consciously not used the name India anywhere, as I wouldn’t be surprised if Modi proposes Bharat as the official name of the country in the special session of parliament starting immediately the next day after his birthday today and on the eve of Vinayak Chaturthi. Lot of excited eyes and some nervous, tired eyes are watching closely to see what surprise Modi is going to throw again. Modi keeps his cards close to his chest, which has also helped him in his transformation from a politician and leader to a legend. I won’t be surprised if this legend brings up the abolition of the HR&CE act for discussion in parliament. Let’s wait and watch! Bharat hasn’t seen such a leader earlier and will not see another like him again. By wishing this legend a very happy birthday, I sign off for now.
Ananth Mahadevan is a political commentator based in Bengaluru.
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