On India’s 73rd Republic Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a rather unprecedented step. It is very well known to all how international media, liberal activists, and even particular leaders with a stranglehold over the global narratives factory despise India, particularly the Modi-led Central Government. International publications have, since 2014, been engaging in blatant anti-India and anti-Modi propaganda. This culture of depicting India in a bad light became most pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic, as global media outlets attacked India for supposedly failing to curb the spread of the virus, despite the whole world – including the United States being ravaged by Coronavirus.
Not only has India just celebrated its 73rd Republic Day but it is also marking 75 years of independence. Under the aegis of the “Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did what no previous prime minister has. No head of India’s government has personally reached out to global thinkers, scholars, academicians, cricketers, writers and researchers before. PM Modi is the first to do so, and this one step of his will go a long way in making many strong friends for India on the world stage.
PM Modi Writes Personalised Letters to Global Influencers and Persons of Eminence
Among the recipients of the letters are Amrita Narlikar, professor, and president of the German Institute for Global and Area Studies; author and academic Vivek Wadhwa; captain of Germany’s women’s cricket team, Anuradha Doddaballarpur; professor and evolutionary behavioural scientist Gad Saad; Tel Aviv-based novelist Ashley Rindsberg; cricketers Jonty Rhodes and Chris Gayle and others.
None of the people PM Modi wrote to are liberals. Professor Gad Saad, for one, is a staunch conservative who has a mass following for his incisive takes on hot topics and current affairs. Gad Saad is a strong proponent against the toxic ‘woke’ culture. Prime Minister Modi writing to him is a sign of how the Indian government views ‘wokeism’ as a menace as well.
Sharing the letter, Saad tweeted, “I think that I’m now at liberty to share this unbelievable letter from The Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I’m immeasurably touched and honored by this incredible gesture by PM Modi. My infinite thanks. I love India, its culture, food, and love for knowledge. Happy Republic Day!” In another tweet, he added, “I just followed the first politician ever on Twitter (if memory serves me right), @narendramodi, the PM of India. I’m about to do a SAAD TRUTH clip on my show as a thank you to the incredible letter that I received from PM Modi today.”
Read more: Under the leadership of PM Modi, India is rising as a major player in global politics
In his letter to Trinidadian singer Machel Montano, the PM said: “…you have been a singer and performer par excellence. I have come to know that you are also drawn to India’s spiritual ethos. The ancient civilization of India offers a multitude of sources which can give answers to the questions asked by humanity since the beginning of existence. India is witnessing a series of historic socio-economic transformations. I am confident these will empower lives and contribute to the global good.”
In his note to Polish researcher Krzysztof Iwanek, PM Modi said, “The world’s future is being written by people like you, who enhance its intellectual capital and ensure our coming generations benefit from it. Educating the world about Asia, its issues and its security dynamics, you have played an important role in creating a conducive atmosphere for a global consensus on security issues.”
Modi Counteracts India’s Enemies with Outreach to Friends
Indians’ reaction to global propaganda against their country is boring. We pick up such articles and videos, rebut them and even vent our anger against those who are at the source of such trash. But PM Modi has taken an important step to ensure that anti-India entities across the world think twice before publishing any fallacious reports and analyses against India.
PM Modi is on a mission to make friends for India and to strengthen the ones that already exist. He has become the first Prime Minister to take the global disinformation and narrative war being waged on India head-on and take measures to neutralise the same.