Narendra Modi 2.0 for 2019
The prime minister is seeking to reclaim the political narrative
In his most expansive interview in recent times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi portrayed himself as a statesman committed to the constitutional process, political pluralism and rule of law. He combined a robust defence of his government’s record with an attack on the political opposition, but with humility. Mr Modi also sought to project an image of a leader who thought about the long term, who addressed structural issues, and would not give in to easy populism — be it on the cultural or economic front. The opposition has sought to portray Mr Modi personally as a PM who is authoritarian, who disregards institutions and seeks to control them, who is insensitive to the farmers and the poor, and who turns a blind eye to majoritarian violence. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself — for the first time in four years — is on the defensive. Its morale has taken a hit after the losses in the three state polls. And it is struggling to counter the opposition’s relentless attack.
Mr Modi has pressed the reset button and sought to reclaim the political narrative at the beginning of the year to counter precisely this criticism. On the economy, he reiterated his propoor credentials by alluding to welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat. It was his response to the farm loan waiver that stood out for the PM showed, quite convincingly, that short term sops will not address the conditions that give rise to farm indebtness and misery.
In the realm of politics and society, Mr Modi most emphatically came across as a moderate leader. On the Ram temple, he refused to give in to the militant demands of a section of his own support base when he made it clear that the legal process must take its course. And he condemned, once again, cow vigilantism and lynching. Once the BJP lost the recent state polls, and in the run up to 2019, the party could have either toned down its political aggression, become more inclusive and introspect about the economy. Or it could have turned more belligerent and adopted communal tactics aimed at majoritarian consolidation. Mr Modi has, correctly, taken the first route. This is a lesson the party should now internalise.