Narendra Modi addressing the nation is a much publicized
event. Publicized by the man himself. A billion patriots and a handful of
others watch it with anxiety and excitement. The empty streets become emptier.
Will he announce the end of the lockdown? Start distributing the funds he cares
about? Will special trains run for the migrants? Is he going to present a
roadmap to bring India out of the Corona juggernaut?
You can’t ask these questions to a TV screen. Or to a
hologram. Narendra Modi is a monologue artist. He is speaking all the time, everywhere.
On the radio, TV, in stadiums, in New York gardens. Everywhere he speaks alone.
Absolutely alone. He is the only world leader never to have held a press
conference. (Sorry, he and Kim Jong-un. Two of them.)
But then, PM Modi is immensely popular. Irreplaceable.
Strong. You need a wide-angle lens to capture his chest in one frame. Also
smart. Always offering innovative solutions. The solutions may have nothing to
do with the problems, but they are fresh and dramatic.
‘Friends, on Sunday at 9 pm,’ he says ‘switch off all
the lights.’ (If you have electricity, he forgets to add.) ‘Sunday 9 pm, switch
off all the lights, and then light candles for nine minutes.’ Because India is
an illiterate nation, he repeats his message a few times, and then two hundred
channels show it one hundred thousand times for reinforcement.
On Sunday, 5 April,
at 9 pm, 1.3 billion Indians will light candles for nine minutes. What a comprehensive remedy for an unprecedented
crisis. It’s like wages for three months. Like free food distribution. Like an
anti-viral vaccine.
On Sunday, many Indians may not be able to have
dinner, but they will have candlelight.
Ravi
विचार करण्यासारखी गोष्ट आहे
ReplyDelete:-(
ReplyDeleteSpot on as always
ReplyDeletevery apt discription of psychogical make up of NAMO> he is quite narcisssistic.he dest nt like debate or answering questions or suggestion concrete solutions for the poor - now that the others have found a huge fault in his middleclass oriented policiies
ReplyDeleteIndia currently needs democracy with discipline. Those who have only critical things to say, do not give any concrete solutions, but just criticize out of hate for the person. The lights out request, is to bring people together in times of stress, that people are going through. In any case if there is no dinner, let there be light in minds of Indians, to think positively and be together.
ReplyDeleteNarendra Modi or any public figure should be praised for good work, and criticized when criticism is deserved.
DeleteCompanies are subjected to audit, so is the Prime Minister. In India, the cricket team captain is obliged to attend a press conference after every game, and India's Prime Minister is self-exempt from doing that. It is difficult to reconcile this, and sets a bad practice for other politicians.
In times of crisis, Narendra Modi should change his management style, and begin a two way dialogue with the public. Media represents people, and hence press conferences are critical, even more critical in times of crisis.
How do the Indian people know that the actions taken by government are the best ones? Only when actions are questioned, they can be improved.
I disagree with Ravi's thoughts....
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your thoughts Mr Ravi,
ReplyDeleteआपने तो मेरे मुंह की बात छिन ली.
इतकं आंधळं प्रेम आहे मोदीजी वर की काय सांगावं
He doesn't have any solution for people like us, who are migrants.