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| Modi: 25 Unparalleled Years of Service and Dedication | | | Prof. Mahesh Chand Gupta
On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday, crores of people across the country lit lamps last night and prayed for his long life and for him to live to be a centenarian. It is a rare occasion in the entire world when the people of an entire nation rise together to shower such affectionate blessings on their leader. The millions of lamps of blessings that flickered across the country became symbols of the people’s love, affection and trust in Modi. Alongside this, the month-long Seva Sankalp campaign launched across the country has emerged as a symbol of cooperation, support and the spirit of service for the people.
There has never been any shortage of leaders in India or around the world, but leaders who have earned this kind of public trust have been rare, and Narendra Modi is one of them. There was a time when Modi set out to become a monk. Not once, but three times. Yet each time, saints sent him back, telling him that destiny had envisioned another role for him. Thereafter, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and chose the path of service. Looking at his early life, there is little to suggest that he had made any carefully planned strategy to reach the pinnacle of politics. After becoming Chief Minister of Gujarat, his ambition for national politics may certainly have begun to take shape, but the journey that followed shows that the people continued to accept him.
We have witnessed 13 years of Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat and 12 years as Prime Minister of the country. Narendra Modi’s public life has now become a long chapter in Indian politics. This entire period cannot be understood merely through the numbers of electoral success. The strongest foundation of Modi’s politics has been his development-oriented discourse, which brought the aspirations of ordinary citizens to the centre of political debate.
In 2013, the country was passing through a period of political uncertainty and disappointment. It was at such a time that Modi emerged on the national political stage with a message of development and decisive leadership. After 2014, his government sought to take the reach of the government directly to ordinary people through schemes such as Jan Dhan, Ujjwala, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Digital India.
Jan Dhan sought to connect the poor with the banking system, Ujjwala sought to provide women relief from cooking smoke, the housing scheme advanced the goal of providing pucca houses to poor families, and Jal Jeevan Mission set the target of bringing tap water to rural households. Ayushman Bharat expanded the scope of health security for poor families, while digital payments and direct benefit transfers changed the way transactions took place between the government and citizens. The system of providing direct financial assistance to farmers through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi has also been an important initiative of the Modi government.
The Modi government has also moved rapidly in the field of infrastructure. Expressways, new airports, railway modernisation, trains such as Vande Bharat, digital networks and the expansion of rural connectivity present a changing picture of development. Along with infrastructure, India’s ambitions have also grown in areas such as the digital economy, startups, space, semiconductors and renewable energy.
Another aspect of Modi’s politics is associated with decisions that the BJP had long regarded as part of its ideological agenda. The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the removal of the special provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and the law against triple talaq influenced both the direction and discourse of Indian politics. Supporters regarded these as the fulfilment of long-pending commitments, while opponents raised political and constitutional questions over them. But these decisions certainly demonstrated that the Modi government was not hesitant to take decisive steps on its declared agenda.
For those who regard Modi merely as a stubborn leader, the withdrawal of the farm laws is also an example worth considering. After a prolonged farmers’ movement, the withdrawal of all three farm laws was announced in November 2021. This episode shows that along with political firmness, Modi’s style of functioning has also left room for changing policies according to circumstances.
I still remember Modi’s speech of February 7, 2013, which he delivered at Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Development, progress and economic growth were the key words in his speech. He had come to speak on emerging business models in the global scenario, but the picture of India that emerged from his address was not confined merely to Gujarat of that time.
I too had the opportunity to witness that remarkable occasion. I listened to his speech and, after the programme ended, had the opportunity to shake hands with him as he was leaving. I do not know what prompted me to say it, but I told him, “You will become the Prime Minister, and the country is looking at you with great expectations.” Modi said nothing. He simply smiled and moved on.
Looking back today, it is not easy to say how far the dream of national politics had already taken shape within him at that time. But his clarity about development was certainly visible. After becoming Prime Minister, the imprint of that thinking can be seen in the schemes and programmes he has taken forward. When Modi recently returned to Shri Ram College of Commerce, he remembered that old speech. For me, it was not merely the return of a memory from an old programme, but like witnessing from close quarters a political journey of which I had seen an important glimpse in 2013.
The expansion of the BJP under Modi’s leadership has also been an important change in Indian politics. The BJP was once viewed as a party with a limited social base, often described as a Brahmin-Bania party. Under Modi’s leadership, the party has considerably expanded its social and geographical reach. Along with the organisation, Modi’s personal political style and extensive public outreach have also played a role in this expansion.
India’s role in foreign policy has also become more pronounced. India’s presidency of the G20, the BRICS summit and its active participation in other international forums have increased the country’s presence on the global stage. India is today not merely a country maintaining relations with the major powers of the world, but is also trying to advance its national interests while maintaining a balance in its relations with different powers and making its voice heard on global issues.
India has also strengthened its position on the economic front. Considering the country’s young population as a major strength, Modi has emphasised skills, entrepreneurship and technology as the driving forces of development. However, challenges such as employment, rural incomes, the agricultural crisis, social inequality and the equitable distribution of the benefits of development continue to confront the country. The ultimate test of any government lies in the extent to which its policies bring lasting change to the lives of ordinary citizens.
Even Modi’s opponents acknowledge this aspect of his political journey: he has established a style of setting large goals in Indian politics. The goal of a developed India by 2047 is the biggest example of this thinking. It is not limited merely to economic development. It seeks to bring together infrastructure, technology, education, healthcare, employment, self-reliance and India’s global role.
Even at the age of 76, Modi’s activity remains a defining feature of his politics. He engages with young people, embraces new technology, maintains contact with world leaders and continues to set new goals for the country. Calling himself a ‘Pradhan Sevak’ rather than merely a Prime Minister has been part of his political vocabulary. Nation First and service have remained among the priorities of his public life.
Modi’s 76 years are not merely a milestone in the age of an individual. They also mark a milestone in an era of Indian politics in which a person who came from an ordinary family rose from being the Chief Minister of Gujarat to becoming the Prime Minister of the country and then became the fulcrum of Indian politics. What will ultimately emerge from the dream Modi has envisioned will be decided by time. How developed India will be by 2047, where India will reach as a global power, and how history will view Modi’s legacy are questions whose answers lie in the future. But the dream Modi has shown has given wings to the hopes of the people of the country. His 25 years of service as Chief Minister and Prime Minister have been unparalleled. Modi has created a place in politics where his presence is not confined merely to power. Today, he is a major part of the discourse on Indian politics, governance, development and national aspirations. The millions of lamps lit on his birthday are a reflection of this very political and social influence. Many people ask whether Modi will win again in 2029, but an even bigger question is: Who is there to take his place?
(The author is a renowned educationist, speaker and thinker. He served as a professor at the University of Delhi for 44 years.) |
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