In his historical campaign, Mr. Modi projected himself as an Ironman with a legendary chest who will bulldoze all problems into magnificent solutions in one tenth of the time in which these were created. There was much chest thumping amongst the followers who firmly believed that the panacea lied in Modi's victory. Even fence-sitters like me were inclined to be charitable towards that belief.
In less than two years the tone and tenor of the discourse has changed. The Ironman is being portrayed as a victim who deserves our fullest support because the whole world is conspiring against him. There are posts in the social media suggesting that USA, UN Human Rights Commission, and Saudi Arabia are all after Mr. Modi. It makes you wonder how could it be so after Mr. Modi's great thrust on international diplomacy, befriending Barack so as to be on first name terms with him and a most eloquent speech at the UN against terrorism. And if you express your doubts on the social media the diehard fans howl at you.
Mr. Modi's Nepal initiative has failed miserably. Fans say it is so because we cannot match the financial muscle power of China that has pumped in huge money to win Nepal over. I don't claim any expertise in international affairs, but I do wonder why couldn't the billion dollar given to Mongolia, a little known country, have gone the Nepal way if this is the case?
Now the daal controversy is being blamed on traders who owe allegiance to Congress. PM wanted India to be free from Congress. He knows for sure all the scandals that caused the public outrage that led to PMs victory. With that knowledge and the fact of being in power, it should have been the easiest of the things to put Congress on the back foot by initiating action against it instead of preaching against politics of revenge. Occasional noises are made about inquiry into Vadra's land deals and the National Herald case but it peters out quickly. Any investigation into scams involving trillions of rupees are kept so carefully hidden that the public may be justified in thinking that all is forgiven and forgotten. How is it that a party that has so much against it and is out of power is able to arm twist you through its cohorts without any fear of retaliation? And then your supporters make big noise about bearing with the government in the distant hope of an golden era that seems to be getting more distant by the day. Also how is it that the government machinery firmly controlled by you couldn't see the crisis coming and the game that the cohorts were playing?
Again, the current wave of protests against rising intolerance in the country is blamed on Congress and intellectuals who are all indebted to Congress. It is as if Yogis, Sadhvis and BJP loudmouths are not to blame in the matter at all. Or if they are, the Ironman is a victim of its own party and organization and we must show more understanding towards him. As Arun Jaitley has said PM is the biggest victim of intolerance himself.
This call for more understanding and support is in stark contrast with the image projected for our PM whose mere presence in the seat of power was supposed to forcefully dispel all the gloom. His own supporters are now portraying him as a hapless victim who needs greater support to be just able to withstand all the pressure being mounted on him from domestic and international spheres.
As a member of the voting public, I feel that our salvation lies in becoming more and more ruthlessly demanding and not in being compassionate towards the political class. Is that unfair?
In less than two years the tone and tenor of the discourse has changed. The Ironman is being portrayed as a victim who deserves our fullest support because the whole world is conspiring against him. There are posts in the social media suggesting that USA, UN Human Rights Commission, and Saudi Arabia are all after Mr. Modi. It makes you wonder how could it be so after Mr. Modi's great thrust on international diplomacy, befriending Barack so as to be on first name terms with him and a most eloquent speech at the UN against terrorism. And if you express your doubts on the social media the diehard fans howl at you.
Mr. Modi's Nepal initiative has failed miserably. Fans say it is so because we cannot match the financial muscle power of China that has pumped in huge money to win Nepal over. I don't claim any expertise in international affairs, but I do wonder why couldn't the billion dollar given to Mongolia, a little known country, have gone the Nepal way if this is the case?
Now the daal controversy is being blamed on traders who owe allegiance to Congress. PM wanted India to be free from Congress. He knows for sure all the scandals that caused the public outrage that led to PMs victory. With that knowledge and the fact of being in power, it should have been the easiest of the things to put Congress on the back foot by initiating action against it instead of preaching against politics of revenge. Occasional noises are made about inquiry into Vadra's land deals and the National Herald case but it peters out quickly. Any investigation into scams involving trillions of rupees are kept so carefully hidden that the public may be justified in thinking that all is forgiven and forgotten. How is it that a party that has so much against it and is out of power is able to arm twist you through its cohorts without any fear of retaliation? And then your supporters make big noise about bearing with the government in the distant hope of an golden era that seems to be getting more distant by the day. Also how is it that the government machinery firmly controlled by you couldn't see the crisis coming and the game that the cohorts were playing?
Again, the current wave of protests against rising intolerance in the country is blamed on Congress and intellectuals who are all indebted to Congress. It is as if Yogis, Sadhvis and BJP loudmouths are not to blame in the matter at all. Or if they are, the Ironman is a victim of its own party and organization and we must show more understanding towards him. As Arun Jaitley has said PM is the biggest victim of intolerance himself.
This call for more understanding and support is in stark contrast with the image projected for our PM whose mere presence in the seat of power was supposed to forcefully dispel all the gloom. His own supporters are now portraying him as a hapless victim who needs greater support to be just able to withstand all the pressure being mounted on him from domestic and international spheres.
As a member of the voting public, I feel that our salvation lies in becoming more and more ruthlessly demanding and not in being compassionate towards the political class. Is that unfair?
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