Modi: A Fish Out Of Water

Daily Inquilab’s editorial 9 September 2013

Translated by A. Hameed Yousuf

All the pages of Indian history post-independence are open to the world. During this period, the magnitude of desire for the post of Prime Minister, which is resting in the heart of Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, was perhaps never found in any leader. This has made Modi restive much like a fish out of water. Had it been in his capacity he could have gone to the extent of declaring himself the PM candidate of the NDA without even waiting any announcement from the coalition. As restiveness increases he uses novel tactics. Modi says that he has no desire for becoming the PM; instead he wants to serve Gujarat till 2017; when his ‘mandate’ ends. Most of the analysts have opined that the statement is a tactic from Modi to put pressure on the BJP for announcing his name at earliest. If the wish for the post of prime ministers can change into such a craze, then one can only guess how it will affect his personality.

In this backdrop, the Chhattisgarh drama is interesting. The stage from which Modi addressed in Ambikapur on Saturday had a replica of the Red Fort. It is not known whether the managing body of the programme has made the replica on itself or it was done on behest of Modi. What is clearly known is that the Red Fort replica was used. In this way Modi could have offered solace to himself and also sent a message that the person who is now addressing from under the copy of the Red Fort would be formally addressing the nation from the original (Red Fort) on Independence Day. Since Modi cares much about dressing, words, timing, occasion and gathering among others—and through these things he tries to increase his popularity—most probably it was Modi who had urged the managers of the Ambikapur to use the replica of the Red Fort. So, it would be interesting to see what more the desire of becoming the Prime Minister has in the pipeline for the public. The reaction of the Congress leader Kamal Nath was not wrong that one day Modi will also have a replica made of the Race Course to satisfy his desire to reside in the formal residence of the Prime Minister. We are afraid that the day will come when Modi, compelled with his restiveness, will start propagating himself as ‘proposed prime minister’ and also will have others to do so.

But, as his desire increases so does increase opposition against him in the party. The meeting of L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj with the RSS leaders, the request of Shivraj Chauhan from the BJP high command that announcement of Modi’s name be postponed until assembly elections end in Madhya Pradesh and the statement of Goa chief Minister Manohar Parrikar that Modi bears the stigma of 2002 rights; all this shows that the opponents of Modi in the party are no less restive than Modi himself is. The only difference is that latter’s restiveness is about being nominated as PM candidate and then becoming the PM, and the former’s restiveness is that the RSS and the BJP do not give so such importance to Modi.

Meanwhile, the explosive resignation letter of D G Vanzara, Gujarat’s encounter specialist, may also play spoiler for the schemes of Modi. It is so that the Modi management still could not muster the courage to accept his resignation.