Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned multi-tasking into a fine art. Even as he earned accolades for his deft handling of the Covid-19 situation, he also kept the country’s economy on an even keel, announced livelihood support measures for the poor and allowed the Indian Premier League (IPL) to take place even if outside the country. Like legendary German chancellor Bismarck, he has been successfully juggling many balls at the same time.
One of his current obsessions is the mission to make India self-reliant. For him “Atmanirbhar Bharat” is not just a slogan, it is an article of faith. A visionary leader, he realizes the importance of India becoming self-sufficient in all respects in a highly competitive world. This has been the recurrent theme of his recent speeches, the last one delivered during the virtual foundation-laying ceremony for the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur. Modi appeared keen to ensure global recognition for “Brand India”.
This is the Prime Minister’s vision of a new India, which he is working hard to build with worthy colleagues such as Union home minister Amit Shah. Shah – who has been BJP’s crisis manager and the brain behind its electoral triumphs and who worked in tandem with Modi in Gujarat for a long time – has an excellent understanding of the Prime Minister’s mind and remains his major-domo. The magnetic personality of Prime Minister Modi combined with the hard work of Shah has done the trick for the saffron party. They form a powerful combination and together they look like they can do the impossible.
Facts speak for themselves. The Modi-Shah combine ensured NDA’s victory in Bihar amidst a raging pandemic. If India has successfully handled the challenge of Covid-19 and tackled the crises triggered by high-intensity cyclones, floods and locusts attacks in some parts of the country, the credit should go almost exclusively to these two leaders who won their spurs in Gujarat.
Challenges always bring out the best in Prime Minister Modi. They put him on his mettle, as happened last year when the corona pandemic not only impacted the health of the people adversely but also played havoc with the economy of the country. Lockdowns robbed people of their jobs, multiplying the woes of the poor in particular. Migrant workers, some of whom trudged miles on foot to get back to their native villages and cities following the closure of the factories where they worked, suffered the most. But the Prime Minister never lost sight of them. While taking steps to reinforce the country’s health infrastructure, he announced special economic packages for migrant workers with focus on preserving their livelihood.
He simultaneously dealt with the Chinese threat on the Ladakh border. The tension between India and China aggravated following skirmishes between the two militaries at the border near Pangong Lake in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. As tension mounted India banned more than 200 Chinese mobile applications, including the hugely popular TikTok, citing security concerns. This gave India an upper hand in dealing with its treacherous northern neighbour.
Galwan valley clashes were, in a way, responsible for accelerating the process of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” mission getting a concrete shape. The economic dimensions of the mission were clearly spelt out by the Prime Minister, with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing the details. The mission is a tribute to Modi’s genius and his determination to turn India into a superpower.
Comment here