India Loves Modi for his Sincerity and Integrity

India loves Modi for his Sincerity and Integrity

By Sudesh Verma

The way the country responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call twice – one on 22 March and then again on 5 April- shows he has emerged as the most beloved leader of the country. The test of popularity is when people trust you in hours of adversity. Not all Prime Ministers get this kind of adulation. 

Narendra Modi: India's most loved Prime Minister

This is truly a defining moment for the BJP   at its 40^th Foundation Day today (6 April) since this would inspire party workers to rededicate themselves to the cause of nation building.

It has been proved that people are not cynical and they want to give full backing to Modi to fight the pandemic situation. Getting locked down for 21 days is no easy task. Critics have gone to town saying that economy is suffering and the country is increasing its debt burden. But the Prime Minister and his team are singularly concerned about saving lives. Economy would not make any sense to family that would lose its members to the Corona Virus (COVID-19).

Critics ridiculed the Prime Minister and said he should talk about the measures taken to tackle the pandemic rather than asking people to do such things as clapping and lighting of lamps. But people seemed to be lauding the efforts made by the Prime Minister and his focused team. While the opposition Congress and others suggested there was a delay in the lockdown, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Modi for timely declaration of

the lockdown and for providing help to the poor and the needy.  

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Modi and his efforts to fight the Pandemic

Thus when the Prime Minister gave a call for thanking medics and paramedic staff for their selfless service even at the cost of risk to their lives, people came out in large numbers on 22 March at 5 pm and clapped and beat up utensils or blew counch-shells to produce various kinds of sound. In their enthusiasm some people came on the street and started celebrating as if they had won over Corona. In fact, heart of everyone beat up fast when they realised that the entire country was working in Unison. When 130 crore people speak in one voice such emotions are bound to overflow.

Midway into the lockdown, when Modi gave a call to light a lamp, or candle or just switch on the flashlight of mobile phones, critics again showed their cynicism. Nine minutes at nine pm on 5 April. Why this specific instruction none knew. The Prime Minister had rightly understood that boredom must have set in and people’s resolve to fight must not get weakened. The exercise was precisely to realise the inner strength.

The critics went to town questioning the timing and the call. The results were astounding. The entire country seemed to be one with the call. It appeared that the country had decided to celebrate Diwali (the festival of light). The mood was not celebration but the feeling of unity and strength.The critics were shown their place and entire India came behind Modi's call. One got emotionally charged throughout those nine minutes seeing everyone in their balconies or at their doors performing the task. This showed the nation’s resolve to fight and the resolve to be united.

Within a short span, he proved his mettle. His call to people to skip at least one meal a week during Indo-Pak war(1964) had tremendous response.

These two events forced me to analyse if similar things happened earlier where the Prime Minister was loved like this. Second Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had asserted the importance of ethics and morality in politics, had got similar response during the Indo-Pak war in 1964, 

Lal Bahadur Shastri called upon to people to skip at least one meal a week 

during Indo-Pak war(1964) had tremendous response.

when he called upon people to skip at least one meal a week. India that time was facing food shortage and the US had threatened to cut off all food supplies. Before giving this call Shastri had experimented by asking family members not to cook evening meal for a week. Although he stayed Prime Minister for a short duration (9 June 1964 – 11 January 1966), he left an indelible mark. Shastri upheld very high standards in politics and had resigned as Railway Minister on moral grounds in 1956 after 150 people died in a train accident near Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu.

Mahatma Gandhi during Dandi March, 1930. 

He brought masses to Indian National Congress.

Another example is Mahatma Gandhi. Before he joined the Congress, the platform was a mere forum for discussing Indian issues and working through petitions etc. It had become elitist. Gandhi made the Congress a mass movement through complete identification of his own lifestyle with those of the masses.

The real strength of India was felt during the non-cooperation movement of 1920-22. Gandhi wanted the agitation to be fully non-violent and had promised swaraj within a year if non-cooperation was followed in the fullest. But he had warned against violence. When the agitation became violent he called it off saying countrymen were not fully prepared for self rule.

Many Congress leaders including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru disagreed but had to toe the line. Gandhi showed the test of success to people during the Dandi March in 1930 and prepared the country for the final onslaught during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru

It is important for leaders to prepare the mind of people for the task ahead. This quality very few Congress leaders had. The First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was a popular leader but he did not have the same sway over the masses.

Indira Gandhi split Pakistan into two but coud not
convince people on Emergency

 His daughter Indira Gandhi was a very powerful leader who split Pakistan into two. But when she imposed the Emergency, she faced the wrath of the people and had to lose power. She could not convince people about the rationale of Emergency.

Vajpayee had a magical spell on people.

  Another very popular BJP leader late Atal Behari Vajpayee had a magical hold on people. Even if he did not win as massive a majority for the BJP as Narendra Modi, people loved him and never doubted his integrity and commitment to the country.  When India exploded the nuke on 11 May 1998, he had defied the most powerful players in the world and knew very well that India would pass through a tough phase. By the strength and determination of the people, India braved the sanctions.
    

We have seen how the various calls for Bharat Bandh by opposition leaders did not get the same connect. Opposition ruled States had to use the might of the State to impose the bandh as for example West Bengal. But most people kept away because they believed that the reasons were not genuine and that the Prime Minister was trying his best to find solutions to the issues facing the country.

What endears the Prime Minister to his countrymen is his integrity and sincerity. He has emerged as the guardian of one and all and has been taking care of all sections of society. Tears rolled down when I heard the story of some rickshaw pullers halting wherever they were at 9 pm and lighting the flashlight of their mobile to support their leader.

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