I, Me, Myself & PM Narendra Modi

Modi also keeps making fun of Rahul Gandhi by referring to the Congress leader as Shahzaada as though his party did not have leaders from the so-called royal families. The PM has indirectly described Sharad Pawar as a Bhatakti Aatma (wandering soul). It was clear from Modi’s description that the jibe was at none other than Pawar: a Bhatakti Aatma, wandering for over 45 years, did not allow CMs to complete their terms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps referring to his Chaiwala origin and says he broke the “evil tradition” of royal family members becoming CMs and PMs. His target is apparently the Nehru-Gandhi family. He conveniently forgets the fact that other than Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, India had Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Chandrashekhar, IK Gujral and Devegowda and above all PV Narsimha Rao as PMs. On top of that, the Modi government has even honoured, though posthumously, PV and Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian awards.

Speaking as per his convenience is the hallmark of Modi’s election speeches, many a time devoid of facts. Thanks to a fractured Opposition, his polit(r)icks clicked during all the previous elections, save the Telangana and Karnataka assembly polls.

We have discussed in previous columns as to how Modi attacked the Congress for the Mughal characteristic of its manifesto and the talk of an inheritance tax.

Extending the inheritance tax theory, Modi says the Congress government will take away one buffalo, if you have two; the Congress will snatch away one house if you have two. He asks his audience: Will you allow your hard-earned properties to be taken away by the government? These plans of the government taking away half of your ancestral property do not figure anywhere in the Congress manifesto, yet Modi harps on them.

Then he says the Congress, if came to power, will distribute your property among those who have many children, apparently Muslims. This despite the government’s own study shows that the fertility rate among Muslims is falling drastically. But for hate mongers, it continues to be a weapon to suit their vote bank politics.

The Indian Prime Ministers hitherto maintained certain decorum. Having seen and covered events of many PMs, I cannot recollect even one of them, including an aggressive Indira Gandhi, using such a diatribe.

PM Modi need not deviate from the main issues and his government’s report card. The BJP manifesto is itself full of Narendra Modi and Modi Guarantees. He has confidently declared several times that his NDA will cross 400 seats in the next Lok Sabha. Why does he have to make nasty and personal comments on Sonia Gandhi choosing the Rajya Sabha route to re-enter Parliament? What is wrong with anyone getting elected to the Rajya Sabha? Why does it mean that the leader has run away from contest? Doesn’t the BJP have members who were elected to the upper house? Have they also run away from the Lok Sabha poll? Hasn’t the BJP rehabilitated some Congress leaders via the Rajya Sabha route? Well, Modi does not answer these questions.

Modi also keeps making fun of Rahul Gandhi by referring to the Congress leader as Shahzaada as though his party did not have leaders from the so-called royal families. The PM has indirectly described Sharad Pawar as a Bhatakti Aatma (wandering soul). It was clear from Modi’s description that the jibe was at none other than Pawar: a Bhatakti Aatma, wandering for over 45 years, did not allow CMs to complete their terms.

Nobody should have any objection to a political leader being religious and going on pilgrimages. Modi keeps repeating several times and Rahul is also seen visiting temples. But one should not make a public show of it and use it for electoral gains. The Chief Election Commissioner of India too agrees with that.The ECI advisory says the candidates must avoid hate speeches, caste or religious appeals and criticism of any aspect of private life. But the topmost leader, instead of inspiring confidence among other candidates and leading by example in following the Model Code of Conduct, is seen violating day in and day out.

The BJP leaders continue to chant Jai Sri Ram throughout the election campaigns. BJP candidates even go to the extent of saying that those who do not chant Jai Sri Ram should be sent to Pakistan. But the election commission takes umbrage only when Shiv Sena (UBT) use Jai Bhawani chant in its election song and Aam Aadmi Party says “Jail Ka Jawaab Vote Se Denge”. As I key-in this column, I hear that the EC has cleared AAP song!

The EC must keep its ante up against the blatant use of religion and criticism of the Congress for not attending the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya. EC ought to take note of Modi’s visit to Ram Lalla temple on Sunday and the politicisation of it through a massive road show. It all happened in full media glare and all newspapers went gaga over it on Monday.

Lotus is normally presented to goddesses such as Mahalakshmi and not gods. But in Ayodhya, Modi offers lotus –incidentally, BJP’s election symbol - to Ram Lalla amid the current poll. My question is – what is the election commission doing. While on the point of religion, I should also point out the hatred for Muslims that the PM demonstrates. The ECI ignores when Modi says the Congress will distribute half of the people’s ancestral property among the Muslims.

Here comes another incident of Modi’s election speech hits an absolute low level. Referring to criticism of the PM going under water, Modi says he was criticised for worshipping Lord Krishna. The top BJP leader asks Samajwadi Yadavs who claim to be the descendants of Lord Krishna, and ridicules them: “Areytukaisa Yaduvamshire”! Personal attack? Well, the EC doesn’t think so!

Modi was on road shows for a long time in whichever state or city that hevisited. That was when we also said that Modi and the BJP were on a permanent election mode. In fact, he has the record of visiting his home state Gujarat very frequently and announcing scheme after scheme particularly days before the Lok Sabha poll schedule was announced. According to media reports, Modi made over 190 trips to various states and did not even once the strife-torn Manipur which has been literally burning for over a year. The Congress criticises Modi for ignoring the north-eastern state despite the crisis. Rahul Gandhi launched his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, but Modi did not find time to go there.

Amid all these, we get some comic relief when Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi makes people laugh by referring to Modi’s buffalo jibe. “You people laugh when I say that the Congress will take away one buffalo from you, if you have two buffalos. You must laugh at the PM.”

Kangana Ranawat, BJP candidate from Mandi, makes you smile when she says that she is the most admired actor after Amitabh Bachchan! She claims that the Russian and Ukraine heads of state keep looking up to Modi for advice on ending the war. Coming as it did in the wake of much-criticised “War Rukwadiya Papa” post by the BJP on social media, Kangana’s claim is even more amusing.

Rahul Gandhi has already put his foot in his mouth, during his Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, by criticising Veer Savarkar. Now, Congress leader from Maharashta Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that the Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare was killed, not by Ajmal Kasab’s bullets but by a police officer owing allegiance to the RSS. To top it, Shashi Tharoor calls for an investigation into the allegation. Does Congress need opponents when its own leaders indulge in such jibes? Thus, the ongoing political slugfest for the Lok Sabha poll has been reduced to the lowest levels if lies, misleading utterances, loose tongue, religious incitement, Pakistan jibes and ELECTtainment.

(The columnist is a Mumbai-based author and independent media veteran, running websites and a youtube channel known for his thought-provoking messaging.)