To those who say Modi’s visit to the United States of America is all showmanship but no substanceNarendra Modi is an iconic leader. I cannot recall any modern day politician who can incite, inspire, amuse and make people go wow like Modi can. He is a poetic soul with an astute statesmanship vision. He can quote commonplace examples and still make the intellectuals clap with delight. But the list of Modi’s adversaries is endless. The liberal, left leaning English media of India probably tops the list. And I can see them shouting their lungs out about how Modi’s visit to the United States of America is all showmanship but has no substance.Let us be very honest here and let us analyze the timeline of India and its socio-political developments in the last 5 years. A Raja stormed the scene with 1 lac 76 thousand Crore scam, Kalmadi wanted us to believe that billing a toilet roll for 4000 Rupees was justified and a scam of 40000 Crores was justified as well. And then Shri Prakash Jaiswal came up with the mother of all scams, 186000 Crore colagate scam. Money as ex PM Manmohan Singh sarcastically said doesn’t grow on trees. That was our money. That was a common tax payer’s money. Our soldiers were killed, one of them was beheaded but the politicians stayed in their perpetual “I strongly condemn” mode. Kasab was executed after four years of trial and he feasted like kings in a six crore cell funded by common tax payers like us. Afzal Guru’s art of living classes ended after more than 8 years. Prices of everything skyrocketed and the Government concluded that an earning of Rs 32/- or more per day is decent enough. Our Ex Agriculture minister instead of coming with strong agrarian policies or reforms was busy with IPL/ICC and similar nonsensical stuffs. Draconian bills like “Communal Violence Bill” were being tabled.In India It was not about the lack of security and law and order but about the total absence of it. Delhi and Haryana CM set time limits for women to get back to their safe and secure abodes. A lady was brutally raped, mutilated and tossed out of a moving bus in the national capital. There were no moral responsibilities taken. Police blamed state, state blamed police and people like us came out in the streets shouting “We want justice”. We faced the wrath of Delhi Winters and Delhi Police together. This made the headlines all over the world.
Friends, the concept of India and India-ness was fast fading away. We needed a strong leader to make us believe that this country still has some hope left. We needed somebody to make us believe in ourselves. We needed to send a strong signal to Pakistan and China and the West. If that comes with some fancy speeches, we’ll take that. If that comes with Stylish Kurtas and Bandis, we’ll take that. If that comes with a Rockstar like reception of an Indian PM, we’ll take that. A country can prosper only when its citizens awaken from their deep slumbers of despair. That’s what Modi is doing. He is shaking us out of our sleep. And I’ll take that.