From the moment he came to occupy the most important chair, the leader, the PM, challenged the pros, in their own backyard. He never tried to copy stereotypes. A statement borrowed from Michael Korda, an English-born writer and novelist, aptly describes the man. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifyers, who can cut through arguments, debates and doubts, to come up with a solution that everyone can understand.” He is a perpetual optimist. Such optimism is a force multiplier.
“Feather in your cap” is an English idiom derived from a custom, where a warrior adds a new feather to his headgear each time he kills an enemy. Several feathers have been added over the past eight years to the headdress of this leader and the government. Be it a festering wound in Jammu and Kashmir or the Triple Talaq riddle or Ram Janmabhoomi’s vexed case, they have all been resolved out of court. J&K has always been a contentious issue that has gone rogue over the years with terrorists and separatists having a field day that spanned over 3 decades.
Someone had to hold the bull by the horn and tame it. That the current government has done this under the Prime Minister is certainly an achievement. Sure, it’s a work in progress, but the road to recovery seems to be built. It takes insight and a great ability to take risks to solve problems that involve people. If these people belong to different religions, it also requires a lot of patience, understanding and perseverance.
In the case of J&K, Section 370 was repealed and special status was removed. Although many have talked about why a certain part of the country needed special status, it was the prime minister who actually held the reins. Making union territories of J&K and Ladakh was a path to redemption. We could expect them to return to normal soon.
Another controversial issue that remained controversial for hundreds of years was ‘Ram Janmbhoomi’. That a mosque was built there annoyed the Hindus endlessly. A solution to the problem was fraught with difficulties. Governments might even fall. That such an issue was also resolved in favor of 80 Crore Hindus in the country was a dream come true. The temple is now well on its way to completion. That the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Temple of Ram a few years ago was almost poetic justice. The inauguration of the temple is scheduled for early ’24. What better sounding strategy can there be, other than creating an 80 crore Hindu emotional connection?
The government is listening and knows the pulse of the people. He is the most proactive and highly strategic. The country paid a heavy price for its independence almost 75 years ago. What better way can there be than to recognize and honor all those who have contributed to India’s struggle for freedom? The “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” campaign highlights the contribution of even the nation’s unsung heroes. No action could be blamed. Even at the Cannes Film Festival, India illustrated its rich cultural heritage and the dynamism of its democracy.
Covid 19, in all likelihood, has been the most devastating of this decade. People have lost friends, relatives and jobs. People migrated in search of food and safe places to live. The first wave hit everyone hard. It’s time to show some courage and the PM has done it. There were free rations for marginalized sections of society. Then the second wave stayed. The program has been extended. The fact that 80 crores of beneficiaries received a free ration each month must surely be considered the most significant in terms of size, complexity and compassion.
That the country could produce two vaccines at a time when the world was struggling to pass one is as much a feather for scientists as it is for the government. Vaccinating a crore of a population was in itself a colossal task. Doing it twice must surely be herculean. Anyway, he even extended them to most neighboring nations. The old and the young were also taken care of.
Be it the “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana”, a national public health insurance fund through which access to free health insurance coverage to low-income people in the country is provided or the “Devi Shakti” operation which rescued Indians stranded in Afghanistan or the rescue operation which evacuated 23,000 students from war-torn Ukraine, the intentions were clear. Help people with proactive measures.
Meanwhile, the country has seen a long-running movement with farmers sitting down to highlight their plight last year. Even as the movement reached its peak, the Direct Benefit Scheme (DBT) was in full swing, benefiting thousands of farmers across the country. Rs, 6,000 in three installments were transferred to their bank accounts. Striking a conciliatory note, the government even withdrew farm bills, a gesture of goodwill to farmers, even as it realized the greater good was likely to be compromised.
Every section of the population and every need had to be met. We all remember the socialist slogan “Roti Kapda aur Makaan” popularized in the late sixties. It felt like it was happening today, when affordable housing was made available to over 2 million people. The population reacted by re-electing the government in power in several states which went to vote. It was instant gratification.
How do you analyze the strategy and game plan of such a dazzling success? A strong bond with people to begin with. An execution of the plan by one Master Strategist for another. It was almost alone. It was “Modi, Vs Rest”.
The governance model of the PM should also be mentioned. Almost 2/3 of the co-secretaries and additional secretaries appointed in May were not IAS staff. This intermediate bureaucracy now occupies key positions. This is innovative disruption at its finest. The wisdom of Colin Powell says “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off”. The Prime Minister has never hesitated to do so in the general interest. “Don’t be pushed around by the experts and the elites. Experts often have more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are mowed down by the real world,” was another gem from the former US general and secretary of state. What better tribute can there be to this wisdom?
It reminds us of a classic “Captain America, The Winter Soldier” After the cataclysmic events in New York with his fellow avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, trying to adapt to modern times, is thrown into a web of intrigue who puts the whole world in danger, by an attack of his shield by his new allies. Rogers struggles to expose an ever-expanding conspiracy, but he and his team soon run into unexpected enemies. He ends up winning against all odds.
The always passionate and always charismatic leader, like Captain America ‘is always open to an audience, is enterprising, advocates the virtues of sticking together, playing together and laughing together. He always wins the righteous endgame.
The increased use of technology has proven to be very effective. Social media has been used to do social re-engineering. It has been used to enable peer-to-peer dialogue, public discourse and political messages to reach potential voters during campaigns. Through clever use of technology, a whole generation of new potential voters has been awakened. However, there is a lot to do. One is the creation of sufficient employment opportunities. Warren Bennis, an American scholar, said that leadership is the ability to translate a vision into reality. The Prime Minister has understood this well.
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