OF GRATITUDE
| Date :31-May-2020 |
PRIME Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s letter to 1.3 billion Indians is a fine exercise in gratitude towards the people. As his Government completed the first year of the second term, the Prime Minister chose to share with the people of India his impressions of the challenging time. In fact, in the past 6 years he has been Prime Minister, Mr. Modi has kept up the practice of communicating with the people on every possible occasion. His radio talk-show Mann Ki Baat, his interactions with students through popular rallies under the title Pariksha Pe Charcha, his regular addresses to the nation during the current coronavirus crisis have captured people’s imagination in a big way. What people appreciate is the transparency of his communication. His latest letter to the people of India is one more addition to the series of connects Mr. Modi has established successfully. Most leaders follow such practices.
Yet, the quality of connect Mr. Modi has been able to establish with the people is altogether a different story. The common people believe in him and feel that here is a leader who takes them into confidence. The very fact that in the humdrum of politics, in the rush of administrative activities, in the thick of diplomatic moves, Mr. Modi always finds time to interact even with children, is something the people have often appreciated. The latest letter to 1.3 billion Indians also comes under a similar category. The Prime Minister has talked of the robust democracy India has, but has not shied away from discussing what he feels about various challenges before the nation. His concern for the poor and the needy, his concern for the migrant labourers, his concern for the farmers and rural populace is obvious. He has urged all these segments of population to face the situation with courage and unity.
The underlying message in the letter is that the nation must not allow the current inconveniences into disaster. And then he suggested, in effect, that the best way to achieve that is to follow all norms and regulations sincerely so that things remain under good control. Other leaders of the Government like Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah, Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh, Union Law Minister Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Mr. Prakash Javdekar, and Commerce. Industry and Railway Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal. The sheer spread of the leaders seeking communication with the people is a special feature of the first year of the Government in the second term. It is this effort to establish connect with the masses that has marked the Modi regime’s success.
There still will be some political elements seeking to doubt the intentions of the leaders of the Government. But the past 6 years have shown on countless occasions how the common people reject all such attempts. That is also the reason why the Opposition parties have lost their credibility with the people -- for opposing just for the sake of it. Against that dismal failure of the Opposition, the Government’s effort to keep connecting with the people again and again appears sound in thought and action. For, fundamentally, the efforts demonstrate a basic faith the Government has in the common people of India.