A review of the book Modi@20 an anthology which serves as an analysis highlighting Modi Ji’s two-decade-long service to Indian society, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and later as the Prime Minister of India.
Syed Furkan
People trust leaders to guide their nation towards progress, development, and prosperity. The dream of every citizen is to have a leader who will steer the people towards social stability, economic growth, and a democratic setup. Consequently, a report card is a necessity to display the progress of the leaders. The evaluation of their work on executed policies, aligned with the interests of the people, is scrutinized by the public during election time.
A leader’s policy should not be based solely on gaining votes, as is often observed, but should be in the best interest of the nation and its people. This approach gives the leader credibility in the hearts of the poor. Therefore, policies in line with the common people matter.
“He (Narendra Modi) has come to symbolize good, honest and responsive governance”. Amit Shah.
When analyzing a person’s personality, we often look at both their personal and professional life. However, the professional aspect usually takes precedence in the analysis because it is the part of their life that connects with society. We are interested in understanding the contributions they have made to us. Consider our national poet, Rabindranath Tagore. In analyzing his life, our main focus is on his literary works and how they have influenced our society, whether positively or negatively.
Similarly, ‘Modi during the twenty years Journey,’ is an anthology, serves as an analysis highlighting Modi Ji’s two-decade-long service to Indian society, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and later as the Prime Minister of India. The collection is a comprehensive compilation of writings by intellectuals and top executives of the country. It takes a positive approach to shed light on Modi Ji’s dedicated service and the endeavors he has undertaken for India over the past two decades.
We witness people digging into Modi Ji’s personal life, but it is, unfortunately, their myopic sight, an ignorance, at the end of the day, telling upon their characters. It is an unreasonable approach indeed. We praise and admire Kishan Ji and Ram Ji for the personas they have characterised in shaping our Indian Ethos. We adore Gandhi Ji, Dr Ambedkar and Baghat Singh for the characters they played in shaping Indian politics. We do it as it is someone’s service to us as a society that we appraise. We do it because it is someone’s contribution that matters to us as a society. And this is quite natural, for what is attractive and pleasing for us is the rose’s fragrance, not its colour or design. Rose has found a place in people’s hearts for its fragrance, not its pink colour or design.
Not Indian history, but the history of the world remembers our Arya Bhatta and our Ramananjuna for their service and contribution to society. These roses have wrapped our Indian History with sweet and amusing fragrances and will continue to please the spirits of our generations as long as the world exists. The salient aspect of one’s service and contribution is that it crowns society with honour.
While leafing through the collection, Modi@20, the feeling that overwhelmed me was Modi Ji’s persona is an assemblage of characters. His policy-making makes him a visionary; his soldier-like stand against enemies makes him an unshaken shield to protect his nation; his way of boosting skilled people around him makes him an icon; his attitude to make his people move towards power makes him a revolutionary leader different than his predecessors; his dream to make India Great makes him Modi @20!
Modi@20 is a bouquet filled with atomic flowers, each with a unique colour and fragrance. It is an orchestra comprising 21 different instruments playing in harmony, inducing a mellow piece of music. It is a classroom where intellectuals and top and experienced executives of our country teach you nation-building politics. It is a mantra where you, as an Indian, learn how to be a member of Badalta Bharat; It is a path showing us how to make India Great.
Modi@20 is a hugely valuable necklace adorned by jewels of elegance and magnificence. Lata Mangeshkar’s foreword is Ratan is beyond words’ grip. Lata Ji has put her Bhai, Narendra Modi Ji, in the highest line of men, which we know as the line of saints. She says, “From my conversations with him, I sense his pursuits are different. He has no attachment to power”. Being in the mightiest position and at the same time being detached from it is the highest degree of sainthood. Our pride, our nightingale, our lata ji, has positioned Modi Ji where he is not an icon of statesmanship but a symbol of spirituality.
Our nightingale has mentioned one more line in the write-up, which she has taken from the first speech delivered by Modi Ji from the ramparts of Red Fort in 2014. She remembers Modi Ji saying, “Oh, dear parents, question your sons about women’s safety, not your daughters!” True, it is that when you debate on women’s safety, it is man’s character to get questioned. Indeed, women’s safety is subject to question because of men, not women. Lata Ji’s words reflect Modi Ji’s saintly character and the nation’s first and foremost concern: Women’s Safety! We can never decipher a nation civilized one where women are subject to insecurity! And we see Modi Ji seriously concerned about this issue from the day first of his prime ministership.
The above anthology about Modi@20 will be followed by a series of articles.
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