Narendra Modi is trying very hard to show
that he has turned. He has been meeting Muslim intellectuals – and even hugging
them! – to prove that. He is also trying to show that he is not autocratic, but
believes in discussions, debates, differences in viewpoints and the like. Well,
two stories in the papers today offer Modi a chance to prove himself. One is
that of VHP hooligans vandalizing an art exhibition featuring Pakistani artists.
The other is about 5000 villagers protesting against the Modi government’s
decision to give away agricultural land (wrongly calling it revenue “wasteland”)
to Maruti for setting up its plant there. Will Modi seize this opportunity?
Will he deploy his state’s police to ferret
out the VHP’s trouble makers? And show them that there is no place for
vandalism, no matter who the perpetrators? Or will he just put up a sham
search, and forget the issue, giving friendly VHP a happy escape? He is accused
of doing the VHP’s bidding in 2002, when he allegedly looked the other way
after the Godhra incident. Does he have it in him to take on the VHP now? There
is the temptation to just take advantage of the sentiment against Pakistan,
especially in a city like Ahmedabad. He can project going easy on the VHP as proof
of his “hardline” policy against the neighbor. His PR machinery can exploit
this to the hilt. After all, in today’s surcharged political environment, who
cares for a little liberal cultural mindset, a little fineness in
differentiating between troops and artists? It’s a great opportunity to flaunt “nationalism”
right? So what will he do?
And what about the protestors whose lands
have been forcibly acquired by Modi’s government? In any other state, the
government would have put a temporary stop to the project and started an
enquiry.The government would hear the protestors out, maybe sweeten the
monetary offer, search for alternate land for them…...something/anything that
is expected in a democratic set-up. Or will Modi make Maruti a prestige issue?
After all, some time back, when it decided to set up a plant outside its base
in Haryana, and in Gujarat, it helped Modi show how Gujarat was more
pro-industry than that Congress-ruled state. So how will Modi tackle these
protests? In his trademark autocratic style or a new democratic way?
Just as a benchmark to measure Modi against,
consider the recent protests against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant in TN.
A bunch of protestors, numbering perhaps less than a thousand, held up the
opening of the plant for more than a year. And this, when the plant was already
completed; and when Rs 14000 crores had already been invested. Even as most of
us fretted against the Center’s seeming dilly-dallying, and the state’s CM
played politics (even though her state was ti be the biggest beneficiary), the
central government deployed one negotiator after another to pacify the crowds.
Even former President APJ Abdul Kalam was sent to meet them and reassure them
that the plant was safe. The courts had the time to intervene too, hearing out
one PIL after another. And even though there were clear signs that the
protestors were being funded by external forces for their own reasons, the
central government went through the painful, slow, frustrating process of
trying to get everybody on board. It did not crush the agitation. This is how
things work in a democracy. Things move slowly, but everybody is part of the
decision.
Having set the benchmark, lets ask again: What
will Modi do with these protestors? Will he have the patience to go through
this democratic process? All his rabid supporters will no doubt want him to
steamroll the protests and move ahead. That’s good governance after all, right?
Taking quick decisions, and not letting
anyone stall the work, is his style right? That’s how the Chinese do things,
right? They decide on a deadline, and they deliver, no matter what? And Modi is
like the Chinese, no? No, make that better
than the Chinese. Not like the feeble West Bengal Left Front politicians, who couldn’t
keep the Tatas in their state (and who he happily netted as well)? Not like the
lame Maharashtra Congress/NCP leaders who are still negotiating with land owners
at Jaitapur for setting up India’s biggest nuclear power plant right? Modi likes
to project himself as decisive, right?
Like Sardar Patel. His word is the writ of the state. Once Modi says something,
consider it done. That’s his word to industry right? That’s why all corporate
honchos like him right? So what will Modi do?
These two challenges will come in handy for
Modi if and when he ascends the PM’s throne. He will realize that what worked
in Gujarat, may not work outside. People outside Gujarat are a lot more politically
conscious. Modi figured the pulse of the Gujaratis – his hardline stance
against Muslims is a result of that – but the pulse of people outside pounds to
a different beat. People have a
voice. They want to be heard. They will not be cowed down. If it takes time, so
be it. As and when, and if, Modi
realizes this, and learns the lesson, he will understand why every state in
India cannot grow as fast as Gujarat. And then, he may start to appreciate why
the performance of other states, who hold democracy up – like Maharashtra,
Haryana, Bihar, AP, Delhi, Orissa and others – is so credible. Why their
growth, albeit a little slower, is so much more “inclusive”. It may puncture
his development agenda a bit, but it will bolster his acceptability quite a
lot.
The real truth is that Modi is so far used to a particular
autocratic style in Gujarat. Muzzle the minorities. Brutalize Pakistanis. Condone
VHP’s aggressive Hinduism. Trample farmer rights in the name of big industry.
This style unfortunately doesn’t work outside Gujarat. This is a golden chance
for him to change it….
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