Mr Modi, When Will You Answer Real Questions!

Meet the man, who says that he is never afraid of owning up to failures and mistakes. And you are meeting one who imposed demonetisation on the nation and never tolerates any criticism, forced implementation of GST without much discussion and thought and so on

Critics should be your next companion – PM Narendra Modi

How pompous that one can get! Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one-sided podcasts and so-called interviews have been full of “I, me, myself and Modi!” His latest one with American scientist Lex Fridman is no different with no cross-questioning at all.

Not that one can expect anything much from these mutual admiration society members, but in view of the raging tariff wars and global uncertainty one would have liked to hear some exchange of opinion, particularly when Fridman says he has done a lot of research before he sat down with Modi.

Statements by Modi such as “Criticism is the soul of democracy.” and his emphasis on the importance of genuine, well-informed criticism, which he believes leads to better policy making, are music to our ears. Then one pinches oneself to check one hears it right! One would quickly ask: Since when has Modi began to appreciate criticism!

The illusion disappears as Modi says he is concerned over the prevalence of baseless allegations, which he distinguishes from constructive criticism. “Allegations benefit no one; they just cause unnecessary conflicts,” he says.

Here, the podcaster should have paused Modi and asked him about the baseless allegations that he himself levels against his opposition. Even if you dismiss Modi’s allegations (MUTTON-MACHLI-MANGALSUTRA-BUFFALO) during the election rallies as stunts, what about his ani-Nehru-Indira-Rajiv rantings in Parliament?

Modi paints himself in the podcast as a highly disciplined, spiritual person who believes only in the welfare of all and he loves all. He falls short of claiming to be God’s own gift to mankind!

Meet the man, who says that he is never afraid of owning up to failures and mistakes. And you are meeting one who imposed demonetisation on the nation and never tolerates any criticism. No question isasked on the series of failures including the demonetisation, the forced implementation of GST without much discussion and thought, the temporary army jawans scheme called Agniveer ignoring the resistance from the Army and the mounting unemployment.

Modi might say he owned up his mistake in hurriedly introducing the farm laws which he withdrew in the face of the State legislative assembly elections in Punjab and UP. This came after an unrelenting and massive agitation by the farming community. BharatiyaKisan Union (BKU) leader RakeshTikait said about 750 people died during the yearlong agitation. The PM did even say a sorry word.

The podcast interviewer virtually says, ‘Tusi Great ho’, and the PM says, ‘Everything is changasi’ under his rule.

While on critics, the Prime Minister goes on to share his perspective on journalism and advocates a balanced approach. Nothing wrong in this, prima facie. But the fact is that balanced journalism and Modi do not go together. Let us hear it from the man himself! Modi recounts an analogy that he once shared, comparing journalism to a bee that collects nectar and spreads sweetness but can also sting powerfully when necessary. This bee sting can force one to hide his face for two to three days. That should be the power of the media sting, he says.

Let us now ask Modi as to why is he hiding his face from the media – I mean a full-fledged press conference? Was he stung by any media bee? His predecessor Manmohan Singh addressed 114 press conferences whereas Jawaharlal Nehru 75, Rajiv Gandhi 62, Lal Bahadur Shastri 56, Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 55 Indira Gandhi 42, Narasimha Rao 40, Morarji Desai14 and Narendra Modi zero, according to a post on X platform by IndiaGems. And Modi refers to Dr Manmohan Singh as the man who would wear a raincoat under his bath shower. Ridiculous even if one says it was just a joke.

No wonder, this Modi rant on democracy and criticism invites criticism from Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh: “He who is afraid of facing the media in a press conference has found comfort in a foreign podcaster anchored in the right-wing ecosystem. And he has the gall to say that ‘criticism is the soul of democracy’ when he has systematically gutted every institution that is to hold his government accountable and gone after critics with a vengeance that no one in recent history has matched!”

Amid the ongoing tariff wars fuelled by Donald Trump, one would expect some searching questions and candid responses. But not from the I-scratch-your-back and you-scratch-mine show!

Modi only reminisces about the "Howdy Modi" rally in Houston, speaks about President Trump’s humility, noting how he sat in the audience during Modi’s speech and later agreed to walk around the stadium with him, showcasing mutual trust and a strong bond.

Modi then reflects on his first visit to the White House, where President Trump broke formal protocols to personally give him a tour.

Remarking on President Trump’s graciousness in calling him a great negotiator, attributing it to Trump’s humility, the Prime Minister states that his negotiation approach always prioritizes India’s interests, advocating positively without causing offence.

Clap, clap, clap! Modi speaks of what happened ages ago and not his last visit when Trump did not even come out to receive him, instead, sent White House secretary. And then, Trump described India as the Tariff King. To add insult to injury, the Trump administration began deporting illegal Indian immigrants by handcuffing and chaining them. Then followed Trump's announcements that he forced India to drastically cut down its tariffs on imports from the US.

No word from Modi on these; but he highlights the “warm, family-like atmosphere” under which he had a meeting with Elon Musk. The PM does not refer to the fact that the Musk-led office actually cut down DOGE funding to India. So much for the warmth, family-like atmosphere. Musk had his family members, including his grandchildren, with him when he met Modi and the official Indian delegation – a highly unusual and unprecedented family-like atmosphere for a meeting with a head of State.

On China, Modi goes on and on about the two nations’ shared history, deep cultural connections. “Dialogue is the key to building a stable and cooperative relationship that benefits both nations”, he says.

Juxtapose this with Modi’s criticism of Nehru’s China policy and advice to Rahul Gandhi to read 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis’ written by Bruce Riedel who “details what games were played in the name of foreign policy...,". This remark came in the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in Lok Sabha, claiming that the Army had contradicted the government's assertion that no land had been occupied by China, Times Now reports.

But what the author Riedel tells the news channel is totally different: “I think Nehru wanted to align India with a major new power—China. What he didn’t realize was China’s aggressive intentions regarding the border between Tibet and India”.

Riedel was right and Modi wrong. The PM accused Nehru of playing games and failed to mention that China backstabbed Nehru and attacked India.

Who will ask Modi whether he is not hobnobbing with Xi Ping? Modi, in his podcast interview, emphasises that cooperation between India and China is essential for global stability and prosperity, advocating for healthy competition rather than conflict. Let us point out to Modi that Nehru’s opinion was no different. In fact, Nehru thrashed out the Panchsheel document with Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in 1954 enunciating “Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Mutual non-aggression, Mutual non-interference, Equality and mutual benefit, and Peaceful co-existence.” This record is still available in the Ministry of External Affairs’ archives which Modi must read instead of accusing Nehru of playing games.

Modi does not seem to be worried about his credibility and how history would judge him.

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