Is This Brand Of Politics Called “Mahinda Modi” ?
Kusal Perera
A much awaited and speculated decision was announced to the media in New Delhi on Friday 13th September, 2013, 06 months before the next Indian Lokh Sabha elections in 2014. With the decision made after much friction within the leadership, the controversial Narendra Modi got on stage in Rewari, Haryana, as the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate, 2014. Former Indian army chief, General (Rtd.) V.K. Singh who was with the Hazare anti corruption campaign was on stage, waving to the massive 01 lakh crowd gathered to hear Modi. A loud roar of a “Lion” was played on the amplified sound system when Modi came on stage. The crowd, though largely ex servicemen, Modi had a clear message to all Indians on where he stands and for whom. That message has ring tones for Sri Lanka too.
A few quotes from his militarily well dressed speech would direct us to where he would head.
- This is the land (Rewari) of a 100 martyrs in every war in this country.
- I salute all the ex-servicemen across India, not just those gathered here.
- Wherever I worked for the BJP, I visited cantonments and interacted with soldiers. They became my extended family.
- The threat of internal security: India has lost more Jawans to bullets from terrorists than enemies from across the border.
- You can’t selectively deal with terrorism. All humanist forces should come together for world peace and progress in the developing world.
- We must create an atmosphere where joining the Army becomes a matter of pride.
- Strong Army, Strong Leadership, Strong Country – these are the dreams we must achieve.
Make no mistake. He is projecting himself as a strong leader, with unquestionable support from the forces. With plenty of “nationalism” bandied in different middle class forums including the Indian media after the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack, there is a tendency to project the army as a “patriotic force” and defence as a “national security” necessity. Also the long tenure of PM Singh as a non aggressive, non assertive head of the UPA government being dictated by the mother – son combination in the Congress party, seeing many riots in many States, has created a middle class psyche, asking for a stronger leader. Modi is certainly mixing them all together.
