Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'The difference between PM Modi and Congress' that was published in Newsband

The difference between PM Modi and Congress

Modi has reinvented the centre, building a BJP where Hindu nationalism is not the only thing. But some endogenous forces are delaying globalisation. The technology is changing so profoundly that we may have to construct completely different kind of society.

Before becoming Prime Minister, in Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi was the first BJP man to figure that you do not hide your personality but you adapt it by going inclusive. So “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” came up. He is building a BJP where the core Hindu nationalism hasn’t gone away but that is not the only thing. To govern India you need inclusiveness, not just on religious grounds but on developmental grounds. He said corruption and communalism should quit India.

On the other hand, Congress had wasted three years in self denial, they have neither analysed their failures nor have they constructed an alternative narrative. They haven’t even understood Modi’s narrative. They go on playing the secular-communal game and do not take his inclusiveness seriously.

Taking Inclusive politics seriously is to recognise firmly that all are partners, not mere client producers and consumers. To show that all sections are being included, it is not enough to co-opt selected people and bandy it with photo opportunities, advertisements and rhetoric. Socially and politically including people results in the spread of the sense of belonging, generative of real peace and harmony. It is the polar opposite of Divisive Politics, the eschewing of vengeance, vigilantism and violence, and practice of universal human rights, minority rights, Justice and Equality.

That Nationalism is parochial is indeed true and universally acknowledged; but many sections of unthinking partisan Indians do not agree with this. Because, they have made nationalism, without ever caring to think and tell what it is, and believing that it is praise of rulers and their political acolytes, built on the quick sand of slogans/emotions.

The PM has realised inclusiveness. The UPA and left never realized this. They were doing minority appeasement neglecting majority. These are reasons for success of Modi and the failure of Congress. Non BJP parties only narrative is based on outdated concepts of secularism by Congress including regional parties and socialism touted by Leftists. Regional caste based parties like RJD or SP have become models of dynastic rule of Congress and have lost their pro-poor stand. Other regional parties like TMC or TRS or BJD or TDP also became one time leadership based parties without any strategic goals to survive beyond the single leader, just like what happened in Tamil Nadu after demise or incapacitation of leadership in Dravidian parties.

Under these circumstances Modi's narrative only is saleable upto one or two terms of Loksabha. Modi is steering India towards inclusiveness despite his Hindu traditions. He has not done much to change the Hindu laws yet into Indian laws in order not to offend others and to make them realize that in a secular India there should be Indian laws and not Hindu laws. Modi is trying his level best to get the confidence of all Indians.