Modi’s leadership in crisis

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Modi’s leadership in crisis

On the 26th of May, the Modi governments completed their seventh year in power. But, this year there were no grand celebrations, no big banners in cities, no full-page advertisements in all leading newspapers, and no fanfare. Corona has brought this change in the BJP and Modi government’s attitude of celebrating every small thing on large scale. This is the first year that, in Maharashtra, BJP is sitting in opposition. So there was no question of celebrations in the state. But, due to Corona's second surge, Modi and BJP had to restrict their celebrating mood. This is a leadership crisis for Modi. He has failed on every front as it seems. There is huge and unimaginable unemployment,  extreme inflation and above all, the rates of petrol have touched hundred Rupees per liter. BJP and Modi should be congratulated for avoiding fanfare considering the extremely serious Corona situation.  There were reports that a hefty document has been produced to commemorate the seven years of Modi’s rule but if it was released online last week, it was done quietly. Leaks to newspapers say that it praises Modi for his ‘strong and sensitive leadership during Covid’. No minister this year sang a chorus of how Modi’s leadership is great as equal to even Bhagwan Vishnu. We should analyze his leadership by dividing his years of ruling as before and after Covid-19. Before Covid-19, his leadership and his ability to taking the country on progress was excellent. Even the opposition should agree that, except the decision of Note ban. That was a totally uncalled for and unnecessary decision. Still, people were not angry with Modi as he came to power with more seats than in two thousand and fourteen. Then came the Hindutwa phase when Modi abrogated article three seventy giving special status to Kashmir which got wide applause from all quarters.  Then came the revolutionary abolition of triple Talaq. It removed the injustice Muslim women were bearing for years. Barring these decisions, there was wide-ranging displeasure for the note ban. But, it did not reflect Modi’s unprecedented success for the second time as the people of India never lost confidence in him. Then came that amendment to the Citizenship Act that specified that except for Muslims, refugees of other faiths would be on a fast track to get Indian citizenship. The amendment may have gone through quietly if the Home Minister had not made it into an election issue and warned, in menacing tones, that the next step was a National Register of Citizens.  Indian Muslims saw this as a signal that they could lose their citizenship if they were unable to give proof of it and took to the streets in protest in cities across India. Their fear and displeasure were reflected in West Bengal elections where Muslims vote for their security in favor of Mamta Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, a party led by a Brahmin woman. Muslim voters have lost trust in Congress or even AIMIM for their security but they stood united with Mamta Didi. The tensions between Hindus and Muslims were so high that Delhi saw communal riots for the first time in 30 years at exactly the moment when there was a State banquet for Donald Trump in Rashtrapati Bhawan. But Modi did not lose people’s trust on these issues. But, there is immense displeasure and disappointment in people on the issue of his handling of the Corona crisis. In his rule, the world saw thousands of migrant workers returning to their native places barefoot as there was no transport. This year in Corona's second surge, the countrymen are seeing many people dying on roads gasping for oxygen and there are no beds and oxygen for Covid-19 patients. Modi has failed his crores of Bhakts also on these front. A true Bhakt can also not justify Modi’s utter failure on these issues as it has exposed our precarious condition of health infrastructure. People will remember this phase as one of the worst phases in their lives as everybody has lost some near or dear one in the pandemic. Still, they did not find any solace from any quarter. This is Modi’s leadership crisis which may be detrimental to the country. For the nation, Modi should be successful in his mission as there is no other leader who can lead the country in this crisis