Narendra Modi is currently the politician in India the whole world is watching. The BJP Prime
Ministerial candidate has immense hopes hung on the peg of his winning. In a
nation riddled with corruption, the famously non-corrupt Modi represents hope
and aspiration. Through 2013, so far, there has been no stopping the man. There
are more converts to the Modi mania in the country than there are to any other
cause. In fact, he is considered a
shoo-in for the top post (Prime Minister) of India in the 2014 elections. This
belief is worldwide and has been confirmed and strongly underlined by the
Goldman Sachs study on financial markets post-Modi helming the country. (Just
for info, this report says that the Indian financial market will improve,
strengthen and stabilse after Modi becomes Prime Minister. Naturally, the
Congress has denounced Goldman Sachs for even having conducted such a study.
But the deed is already done, and ‘Modi as PM’ is practically announced in
boldface around the globe via this report).
One of Modi’s greatest strengths is that he speaks well.
Really well. That is what was turning more people to him. Then inexplicably,
this strength started getting dissipated. First, his self-propaganda about his
achievements in Gujarat in totally inappropriate venues and on inappropriate
platforms became a bit too much. Then, shockingly he started showing great
ignorance about India’s history and geography! This is unforgivable. He is the
Bharat Boy. The man from grassroots. The man who has spent a lifetime in public
work and politics. The man whose dyed-in-the-wool Indian-ness is his strong
suit. Such a man has no business making faux pas like stating Alexander was
defeated by Biharis. Or declaring the Chandragupta Maurya belonged to the Gupta
dynasty. Or placing Takhsila in Pakistan.
No Mr. Modi this is just not done.
It has shaken people’s faith in you. Your supporters cringe
in embarrassment with no way to defend you and your opponents are having a
field day for having got justifiable brickbats to fling at you.
Accepted that you may not know your history and geography,
but you do have an army of folks propping you up. You have speechwriters. In
all probability you are just delivering the speeches handed over to you. Get
their act and yours in place, Mr. Modi. Speechwriters who are including
incorrect historical and geographical facts about India must be out of your
team -- immediately.
Additionally, you can be forgiven for not knowing the past,
i.e. history. While you are brushing that up, make sure you do not make any
historical references that you do not know as proven facts. Do not agree to
deliver monologues about things you are not certain about.
Not knowing the geography of India is less forgivable. If
you aspire to be the First Person (Prime Minister) of the country, you better
know the country. Do a crash course on it as priority. You cannot – cannot –
aspire to lead a country without knowing it. You cannot expect people to let
you do it either.
Mr. Modi, leave rewriting the history and changing the
geography of the country alone. There are enough blundering politicians
committing enough faux pas – do not join that bandwagon. Your strength is
current affairs – stick to speaking about those.
These recent speeches have marred the upward rise and put a
mild sort of brakes on the unstoppable Modi juggernaut – get your act together
and get on a roll again – else you face a possible derailment.