VIEWPOINT
AMITABH SHUKLA
For the first time after he
became the Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi entered into a dialogue
with the citizens of the country through the future generation. Though Modi may
be technically addressing and interacting with the schoolchildren, the entire
country was listening to each and every word he said on news channels, as
almost all were bringing it to the people live.
While the address on Independence
Day started the direct communication with the people, it was nevertheless a
monologue. But the one on Teacher’s Day was a dialogue, a conversation in which
the kids asked him what they felt like. The outcome of both was mesmerising
even for those who had apprehensions about Modi’s governance. They realised
that for the first time, the country had a Prime Minister who reaches out to
the people and talk to them in a language they want to hear. I am not privy to
the TRP figures of Modi’s address on Teacher’s Day but it was undoubtedly, one
of the highest like popular programmes and cricket matches.
There has been certain criticism
like the expenditure incurred on the entire programme and the children being
asked to come to schools at an inconvenient time. But then, there is hardly
anything in the world which cannot be
critically looked at. Let the critics do their job, think from the perspective
of an Indian Prime Minister hammering across the concept of nation building to
impressionable minds. You simply cannot look at everything from a political
eye.
Modi clearly demonstrated that he
is a man of the masses as millions were glued to each and every word he said.
Like the Independence Day speech, he touched the raw nerves of the people
through his use of this direct medium, speaking extempore and outlining the
vision of the Government. It was a fresh breeze as people of the country had
forgotten that the Prime Minister speaks.
The mass contact event on
Teacher’s Day has now made politicians think what they had not been doing all
these years. I talked to some Congressmen and they may disagree with Modi but
appreciated the way he has established a direct rapport with the people by
effectively using the medium of communication.
He struck the right notes as he laughed with the students, chatted with
them, recounted events from his childhood and made sure that the message has
been sent across.
The sheer size of the audience
was mind-boggling and there is no single family across the country where his
message has not gone. One estimate had it that around 75 per cent of the people
of the country either heard him that day or were told by their kids about it.
After his address, Modi took questions from the students,
including some which many journalists want to pose to him. These were related
to his thoughts on becoming Prime Minister and the buzz in Lutyen’s Delhi
that he acted like a headmaster.
I fail to understand the critics
who saw politics behind the move. Was breaking ice with students and teachers
politics? Then exhorting children to play and sweat a lot, read biographies of
great personalities, save electricity, need of building toilets in every school
to prevent girl students from dropping out could only help the children
understand better and get a perspective.
Though there were reservations
initially and even negative feelings in parents and school administration, with
his outreach Modi managed to overcome it. I too thought that my daughter would
be inconvenienced and she could hear the speech sitting at home. But when he
finished speaking, I was convinced of the move as my daughter came home
learning things which she otherwise takes for granted.
Though Twitter cannot be the only
criteria of judging an event in a country as vast and diverse as ours, but
gives ample indication. As Modi was speaking and soon after he finished, the
entire cyber world was full of positive reactions. I hardly found any critical
expression, one complaining that he could not even go to the loo as he was
mesmerised by the programme. There were only adjectives flowing on Twitter…
Awesome, encouraging, historic, memorable, motivational, outstanding,
inspirational, great, masterpiece, act of nation building…
Many politicians are thinking
loud now. “Why couldn’t we think of doing something like this when we were in
power,” a Congress leader told me. They feel that it was a question of idea in
which they could not visualise how effective a direct communication can be with
the citizens of the country.
Earlier, people used to watch
presidential debates on television in the United
States and wonder why couldn’t a similar
practice be started in our country. That may be a far cry here. But time has
come where communicating with the people directly would be a great advantage
for any political leader. Modi has shown the way and this seems to be the only
way for all time to come. (September 8,
2014 )
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