Let’s admit this, the ecstasy in India was unlike anything seen before when Narendra Modi took oath as the 15th prime minister of India. The atmosphere was captivating. I do not deny that a certain section of India had crept under quilts of gloom, some even started packing their bags for foreign countries but overall there was euphoria all around.
Here is why India loves Modi:
The world is ready to a listen if you are a Power Orator: He is not one of those usual Netas who bores people with droning monologues. He entertains them. He makes them laugh and laughs with them. He cracks jokes about his adversaries, he doesn’t attack them outright, he simply mocks at them, makes them an object of public ridicule and people do the rest. He addresses Indians as Indians and not castes and religions. He talks of a young India, a dynamic India and a progressive India. Modi may not be poetic like Atal Behari Vajpayee, but he knows how to regulate his rhythms.
The Power of Catch-Phrases: People tend to forget speeches but the catchphrases stay with them for a long time. And Modi is extremely good with wordplay (or his speech writers are). Modi’s version of FDI is First Develop India, his Mantra in Bhutan was B2B Bharat to Bhutan, Maker of Developing India, I mean Modi knows how to train the subconscious of his followers.
Politically correct politicians are a passe: This country values liberalism as a supreme virtue. Love and respect for other religions is deeply engrained in the minds of Indians from a very tender age. But while being liberal and respecting all other religions, the pride for one’s own religion takes a backseat. Narendra Modi is one very obvious exception in the politician fraternity. His words “I am a Hindu Nationalist” didn’t go down too well with the media and minority communities but he continued nonetheless. If you are proud of your lineage and your heritage, admitting it doesn’t make you a recluse.
The world is yours if you have Perseverance: Modi is the success story that every Indian wants to believe in. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He achieved everything with his sheer perseverance. This guy who sold tea in train compartments now holds the power to rewrite the destinies of 17.6% of the world population.
Don’t get offended, Convert offences hurled at you into opportunities: Senior Congress Leader Mani Shankar Aiyar once called Narendra Modi a lowly Chai-Wallah (tea seller) – Narendra Modi made the “Chai-Wallah” tag his identity and made it a point to mention it once or twice in every speech of his. He didn’t stop there but went ahead and created a unique program called “Chai pe Charcha“(Discussion over tea) and now this Chai-Wallah from Gujarat is the Prime Minister of India. A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.
The Importance of Physical Fitness: Narendra Modi relentlessly campaigned for three months straight, in every succeeding rally he appeared more energetic than the previous one. He never showed any signs of fatigue or weariness. He didn’t just spearhead the World Yoga Day movement but went ahead and participated in it as well in full public and media view. Modi beats many youngsters in physical fitness even at 65 years of age.
Punctuality is the key to success: Modi is extremely punctual, both in his work and in his day-to-day life. He is an early bird who wakes up before 5 AM every day. He then goes for an hour long yoga session which is followed by breakfast and scanning through newspapers. Modi is known to be a light eater who doesn’t overindulge in gastronomic delights. Modi’s attendance register is still to show an absent mark even with all those election rallies and foreign trips. The Cabinet Minister, Minister of States and the dreaded Sarkari Babus are slowly learning the fact that they are now being led by a boss who is always in his cubicle before time.
We wish PM Narendra Modi a very happy Birthday. Wish you a long and successful life. May you lead India to the paths of glory and prosperity!