Modi's Campaign Speeches Overseas

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been giving speeches overseas about the post-independence era. His “Scam India to Skill India” slogan, recited in Canada, is perhaps one of the worst ones coined by him. Most of his speeches condemn, directly or indirectly, Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy. What is shocking is that the audiences of non-resident Indians, who are supposed to be well-educated and well-read folks, who benefited from the institutions set up during the Nehru era, applaud the speeches. This further fuels Modi’s energy levels as he continues his long march overseas.

One thing I need to remind those who cheer him up is that Narendra Modi’s trails are no match to the long march of Chairman Mao or the Bharat Darshan (travelling around the then Greater India) of Mahatma Gandhi in a third-class compartment. Both Mao and Gandhi had a deep concern for their nations and took a pledge to improve the welfare of all their countrymen/women. They, of course, succeeded in the struggle by creating further hope for the future in their nations. Present-day China owes a lot to Mao’s legacy; so also, the present-day India owes a lot to the Congress Party. Both China and India have made huge sacrifices in freeing the nation from irrational values and rulers. That suffering was a long-term investment. China continues her journey on the long march, while India’s progress is facing internal bumps created by leaders who are still in the mythological era. Indians in India and non-resident Indians should realise that the mythological eras should not be the basis for setting the goals of modern-day India.