The Return of Modi
Over the past few months we’ve seen — what many effortlessly called a polarizing, gruesome Election — Chowkidars Sticks, Tea-cups, Aircraft Fighters and Navy Ships being thrown about in gay abandon by so-called jobless liars, thieves, fascists, Hitlers, Dynasts, over the brave voters who seem to have calmly made up their minds very well and voted back the 52 inch-chested (the Chest of seats grew larger than anyone predicted) Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India. While the North of India queued North — as far as choking Mount Everest — to support Modi, the South of India, riding a severe Hate-Modi Cyclone blown by the regional satraps, went deep South and hardly contributed to the expansion of the chest.
In Tamil Nadu, the Party of the Rising Sun which incidentally has a ‘forever rising son’ as its brand new Chief, capitalized on the Hate-Modi winds; he even briefly threw away his red-black border white dhoti and high collar white shirt, wore Red T-Shirts and Black Pants and danced on the dirty streets to convince the voters that the Challenger, Pappu, can indeed become Prime Minister and learn new dance moves; more than he himself becoming a scorching hot Chief Minister-which should have been the primary goal. Ultimately, for the Rising Sun Chief, it was a case of, ‘Operation Successful: but Patient died’. He won by convincingly pandering to narrow-mindedness and regional pride instead of looking at the big picture of India as a country where multiple cultures co-exist and thrive peacefully and where we should integrate this differentiation and move ahead with the strength of unity. Of course, if he does this kind of integration how would he keep alive his Tamil base? The ‘Rising Son’ wears a Russian name and has a habit of tarring any Hindi words — on name boards — he comes across. Claims his Dad taught him the basics of rubbing. What about Russian? I guess, it’s more like English. Is Hindi more foreign than English and Russian? Ask any Tamilian and they will tell you about the misery they face when confronting someone speaking Hindi in the course of Business or even when dining-out in Chennai; or still more when they move outside the State riding on a Tamil tongue!
When I attended a Christian Wedding in Kollam, during the Elections, the father of the Groom simply and firmly said, ‘Modi will not return as Prime Minister’. He had the weight of religion behind him and navigational expertise in his domain: I was struck by the firm confidence, as if his God had made-up his mind and mysteriously told him so. I said, ‘I do’ believe that he will return as PM. Now, I have the last laugh! Meanwhile, he has decided that the Earth is not enough and has plans to land on the Moon and settle in faraway Mars.
Over the Election period, most of who I spoke to in the South — Tamil Nadu in particular — for some inexplicable reason wore a visible Hate-Modi mask. When I asked them why, many were unable to convincingly explain. Who is Modi? Where was he when Cyclone Gaja was ravaging Tamil Nadu? Reminded me of Ayn Rand’s, ‘Who is John Galt?’ The motor of Jallikattu runs all over Tamil Nadu and fishermen find fewer letters about them being written to the Prime Minister, from a Chief Minister who out-witted the Rising Sun Chief in keeping his throne.
While all this was happening down South, in this epic Lok Sabha Election, including breaking Temple Scales by a Wordsmith — millions of blue blistering barnacles — Congress Member in God’s own Country; and a French bearded Son-in-law of a famous saffron-clad-Actor-cum-Party-Founder spewing the choicest venom on the Prime Minister, there was a silent pro-Modi Wave gathering storm in the North which many failed to detect, despite high-tech gadgetry; some got a whiff, but could not put a cigar to it!
In the East, a Bengal Tigress, wearing a permanent scowl caged herself to the Hate-Modi Group and when the Prime Minister called to enquire about a Cyclone that was knocking at her door, she refused to open and answer, saying she will talk to the ‘new’ Prime Minister. Well, sometimes the old becomes the new — Jai Sri Ram! Oh, Mother Kali!
In the Northern ravine-ridden Hindi heart-land, a fierce Woman with a permanent hand bag, almost an extension of her hand — even in the statues of her in the State, tried to put her Elephant on a bicycle and ride to Delhi — we know the results of such foolhardy daring, don’t we?
To cap it all, the scion- the Challenger, a dimpled Prince of the Royal Ruling Family of India -popularly called ‘Pappu’ had his hands full, mouthing a ton of lies on an imaginary sum of money finding its way to a real Business pocket, which just could not hold any at all, and required a nearby Brother to stitch-up and make it count. Pappu, along with every known Politician in the Opposition, thundered that Modi will not return, and on the sly found himself a safe seat in the South, to sit on, knowing that the Northern Amethi will kick him out — driven out by a gutsy lady, of the Modi clan, who fought tooth & nail, over a period of five years, to see this day. That was the first indication of a Modi Tsunami!
India’s own Games of Thrones, and ascending the iron Throne in Delhi, was finally over, this season.
The reasons for the Return of Modi will be analysed and dissected in times to come, but I think the reason why India voted for him is that this man means business and there is a certain trustworthy sincerity, honesty and bluntness in his style — like it or not, which tells us that he will make India a better place to live. Given his innings of the first five years, where some sound path-breaking changes such as the GST and Swachh Bharat Mission (among others) was introduced; besides showing that India has real muscle, he deserved another shot at the goal post. India is tired and fed-up with the ordinary Politician who keeps showing us something that is not there — Modi can be felt and is a visible presence; wears his religion up his sleeve and has brought a sense of National Pride. Some say this is a New India, which went beyond caste, religion and regional vote-bank politics. Hope the South goes North soon and fuses into one seamless Country. The Lotus requires sunlight and water to thrive, grow and bloom; floating on the lake of a wonderful India.
