How Modi’s Resembling Attitude To Nehru Is Dangerous For The Nation?
With Modi’s unending popularity and a strong support base even after economic disasters like demonetization and ‘well timed’ Good and Services Tax (GST) implementation, social media has been working on a similarity chart between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. What would seem like the opposition’s propaganda actually is the truth and Modi has been proving it time and again.
For instance, take Mann ki Baat, it has striking similarities to Nehru’s weekly radio address. Another example is the much-hyped event which has proved itself to be the current regime’s showstopper economic blunder, GST. Its midnight launch was a gala affair hosted by our beloved Prime Minister in Parliament’s Central Hall. Something very similar happened the day India became a free country. The timing and setting of the launch, the same hall from which India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announced India’s independence in a midnight speech 70 years ago, underlines the magnitude of the event and the significance the government is attaching to it.
The recent elections have bought Modi-bhakts to new heights just like Pandit Nehru’s admirers. Ambedkar was the first to warn India about these blind followers, Bhakts. He said, “in India, Bhakti… plays a part in its politics unequalled in the magnitude of any other country.” He went on to say, “Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship”, writes The Huffington Post.
Time and again it has been proved that leaders when made Messiah or superhumans lose touch with reality and consider themselves superior to the masses and power. This leads to self-aggrandizement, arrogance, amassing of power, and corruption; Stalin, Hitler, Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and ‘rocketman’ Kim Jong-un are perfect examples.
Nehru was incorruptible that everyone is aware of but his love for centralized power and constant need for self-glorification worsened with time — similar to what Modi has been practising at home, inclinations for centralization and personal control, and working in secret. What’s worrisome is the way Nehru’s sense of infallibility, combined with a lack of strong opposition, led to many troubles: abuses of preventive detention and President’s Rule; extreme centralisation of economy and administration; botched federalism; and a failed China policy which led to war Modi has been committing the same grave mistakes in a contemporary era which is anything but good for the nation.
Lack of opposition- just like old times
As of now, no one can stop Modi from perpetrating these horrendous errors, which highlights how the Indian political diaspora is in desperate need of strong opposition. It was the absence of a solid opposition that allowed Nehru to enjoy his indiscretions, for India’s system of government permits the PM despotic control. We saw its outrageous case amid Indira Gandhi’s Emergency. What should worry us is that we have a similar framework available to Modi. Far from compelling him to decentralize or work in an open fashion, this system would lure him. And Modi would succumb to his lust for power and fame.
The problem with our opposition is it does not have much to offer. There is a vacuum instead of a strong personality that could rival Modi, they do not have a message, they are not even united- Bihar’s ongoing political circus proves the fact. There is no national leader; the Gandhi family will not let the seasoned and well-known politicians — P. Chidambaram, Shashi Tharoor, Anand Sharma, Amarinder Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, etc. — lead the party out of doldrums due to its fear of losing control over the Indian National Congress. Rahul Gandhi, soon to be party president has nothing substantial on his plate. Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav did seem to be a contender in this race but lacks experience, is politically immature. Mamata Banerjee has only regional following and NDA is leaving no stone unturned to fling her aside. South India is the only region where Congress has its whatever left influence but none of the leaders enjoy country-wide reach. Finally, Nitish Kumar was a strong candidate but what do you expect of a politician if not opportunism?
The conditions are perfect for Modi to become a dictator like Indira Gandhi and Nehru in his last days of power and this is everything that should make you worry about the world’s largest democracy’s future, than Gau Raksha and Ram Mandir. At least Nehru hoped for and wanted a strong opposition whereas Modi’s agenda is very clear, a Congress-mukt Bharat.
