Conquering Bengal in 'virtual Bengali' style :::: Modi's Covid-address impresses netizens, detractors

New Delhi: A good leader is one who can read people's pulse, and this is something Prime Minister Narendra Modi always takes pride in. But a good orator is also someone who drives home his point - in a powerful manner - while he or she speaks only 'half truth'. 

This must have happened with Modi's unprecedented 'Durga Pujo special address' to Goddess Durga devotees in West Bengal.

"We must conquer violence with the non-violence that's the essence of Durga puja," he said. This could be an universal message, but Bengal watchers know it pretty well that this statement would always have special significance for Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal. In fact, 'political violence' is synonymous with the socio-political life of the eastern Indian state - which has given icons in every field including literature, social reforms, patriotism and science.

As indications are, there would be more violence in the run up to the next year's summer polls.

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In his speech, the Prime Minister paid homage to women leaders and the likes of Rani Rashmoni and Devi Chaudhrani, and maintained: "Bengal's people have such Atma-shakti, because of which they have moved on and achieved successes in multiple sectors".

He said the eastern state will continue to give leadership to the country as it has done in the past.

Modi also pointed out at an unique resilience power 'atma-shakti' of the people of Bengal that they could brave through so many storms and yet flourished.

Of course the occasion was cultural and Modi deliberately avoided throwing up any detailed political message, but he tried to win over people's hearts by highlighting their cherished past and rich legacy of the state - which had an universal appeal and not necessarily in tune with what happens in states like UP.

At times, in the run up to the polls in various states, Modi has the habit of pointing out lapses in local governance. There are plenty of it in Bengal, but he skirted those. A vintage Modi will be in action when he directly takes on Mamata Banerjee during election campaign or even during a few earlier  visits to the state.  

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Interestingly on a day, Modi made his Mahashasti speech, a survey by a news media agency revealed that in West Bengal, approval rating for the Prime Minister's overall performance has been 64.06 per cent.

Of course, this shows the deeper penetration BJP has made in a state which was long a communists' forte and the voters were also inclined towards Left-liberalism politics. True, such surveys may be a matter of concern for Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, who around 2014 and even later harboured ambitions to be Prime Minister of India.

Paradoxically, a survey by August through Trinamool's internal channel had predicted that Mamata's party strength after next year's polls could come down to 78 in 294 member state legislature.

The BJP's poll strategists are working to a plan taking all local considerations including the ever-sensitive Bengali sentiment.

They know this well. West Bengal is not like the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where pro-Hindu issues such as the Ram temple, the banning of beef and cow vigilantism could be the political spotlight. 

In Bengal, thus the approach has been universal - guided by Modi's pet slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'.

The Prime Minister rightly linked even the Durga puja to the women empowerment. He also gave a new term - Purba-Uday - the Rise of the East.

"Bhajpa ki kendra sarkar ne Purba-uday ka mantra apnaya hae. Purba-uday ke is mission mein

Paschim Bangal ko mahat-purna bhumika nibhani hae (The BJP-led government in the centre is committed to Purba-Uday - Rise of the Eastern India. West Bengal will have to play a big role in this endeavour)".

Notably, Modi's focus in next few weeks could be peace in the northeast and peace parleys with Naga groups are on fast track and at last leg.

The survey report also brings out a major game-changer fact of life if the studies reveal things genuinely. PM's approval ratings tops in Odisha - where 95.6 per cent Odia voters say they are satisfied with Modi and as high as 84.87 per cent of people said they are "very satisfied". 

Modi's outfit has conquered Tripura, another difficult state in 2018. Thus even for Bengal and other eastern Indian states, we are going to see the BJP leaders take up more pressing issues like unemployment, women empowerment, and industrialization. In poll-bound Bihar, the saffron party has promised 19 lakh jobs.

Voters in Bengal have been essentially pro-Left and the communists have wielded power long. Even Mamata Banerjee's politics though unseated the Marxists, it has been so-called pro-Marxism.

She also implemented Muslim appeasement rather religiously.

Thus, Modi's Puja push and saffron outfit's poll strategies rightly seek to "break the umbilical cord" between the Bengal voters and pro-Marxist intellectualism.   

The focus therefore is to capture the Bengali mindset, especially among those whose forefathers had to leave Bangladesh during partition in 1947 and later in 1971 during the Bangladesh war of liberation.

The new Citizenship Act enacted last year is a testimony to what Modi and BJP intends to achieve.

A good beginning was already made in 2019 when the BJP could win as many as 18 Lok Sabha seats from Ms Mamata Banerjee's state.

Mission Bengal 

New Delhi: Oct 21, 2020

There could be issues about the manner and content dwelt upon in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brief and the seventh address to the nation since Lockdown was first enforced in March this year.

However, the Prime Minister's intent was apolitical. Even a well known pro-Congress commentator Rasheed Kidwai said, in his address on October 20 -- marking the commencement of the festive season in India - Mr Modi' sounded like a 'sage'. 

His missive to the nation was crystal clear, "Do not weaken the big fight against Corona".

"This is not the time to be careless, this is not the time to be complacent and assume that there is no danger from coronavirus any longer. Roaming outside home without a mask, you are endangering those around you," he said.

He was more than emphatic - "Lockdown might have gone, but the Virus has not gone". 

One missive from a netizen in the social media tried to raise a question: "I am just wondering, did people expect big news, or a big gesture... ..lighting candles and diyas or playing conch shells ... was PM's speech anti climax in content?"

Some of these queries are relevant as reports and observations from experts vis-a-vis pollution concerns in Delhi and northern states signal ominous spectre. "Pollutants can also cause a persistent inflammatory response and increase the risk of infection by viruses that target the respiratory tract," says a report in the BBC website.

Epidemiologists have cautioned that toxic air can harm and even defeat India's fight against the unseen virus. Of course, there have been no studies yet to examine the effect of air pollution on Covid-19 infection.  

Compared to WHO's safety limits for PM2.5 levels, Delhi has around 180-300 micrograms per cubic metre - 12 times higher than the global health body's acceptable norms. 

As India battles Covid19, the fight is also must against air pollution level as certain controversial practices like stubble burning remains a challenge.

According to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, "Next two and half months will be crucial in India's combat against coronavirus". 

"This is the festival season and thus it will be the responsibility of every citizen to not let our guard down and ensure that the spread of the infection is curbed".

In Kerala, there is admission from the communists' regime that the recent Onam festival had contributed to aggravating the Covid19 situation.

Hence in more ways than one, the prime minister's address on October 20 only goes further to echo the sentiment of what has been cautioned by experts and even his Health Minister.

"The Prime Minister was extremely measured...almost sage like, look at his choice of words. There is election in Bihar, but there was nothing overtly political...," says author Rasheed Kidwai adding, Mr Modi is trying to pitch himself as a person "who understands everything".

Of course, he also says, "I wish the Prime Minister had spoken more on vaccines...".

Nevertheless, there has been certain criticism from expected quarters - Sitaram Yechury of CPI-M and Randeep Surjewala of Congress.

Prior to the address, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tried to question the government's China policy and wanted to know whether Modi would say something on that issue.

For his part, Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the Prime Minister's televised address and said: "The safety and healthy life of Indians has been the top priority of the Modi government. In this battle against Corona, the Modi government considered it to be the ultimate duty to save the lives of the countrymen. I request everyone that the Prime Minister appeal- 'No laxity until there is a medicine' should be the mantra of your life".

Endorsing them, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted in Hindi saying, "All countrymen must accept the Prime Minister's request as this is not the time to be callous and complacent. It would be a big mistake to assume that Corona is gone or there is no danger from the virus".

"So take care of hygiene, make a distance of two yards and wear a mask. This is for the benefit of all, " Rajnath added. 

India's Covid19 response also brought economic crises!

None other than Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman admitted last week that the Covid19 pandemic was "an act of God," meaning its impacts are beyond human efforts to control.

Ajay Bhushan Pandey, a senior Finance Ministry official, told media that there would be a whopping tax deficit of US$3.2 billion and the states should borrow from the market to tide over the crisis.

However, these admissions are in total contradiction to the generally "all is well" message that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues keep sending out.

Home Minister Amit Shah in July said many had wondered how India would handle the impact of the pandemic. "But we have proved the prophets of doom wrong," he added. His biggest argument was that the pandemic fatality rate in India had been less than 2 percent.

Prime Minister had said in June end :“With timely lockdown India successfully protected the lives of thousands and lakhs of its citizens".

"The truth is, India next to USA registers the highest number of infections and deaths in the world. Worse, we register the fastest growth rate of infections in the world." - Sitaram Yechury, CPI-M

He also said --
Addressing the nation for the seventh time since the imposition of the lockdown PM Modi brushed aside all shortcomings in the tackling of the pandemic claiming the governments handling as a success.

All said, it may be pertinent to note here that the Covid19 crisis posed a great opportunity for the Prime Minister.

Post anti-CAA protest -- whatever may be the trigger - Modi was almost giving up the 'political momentum and initiatives' - he had mastered the art very well. 

By March end once Lockdown was enforced and a Janta Curfew called by Modi, people started reposing yet again faith in him to lead the nation at one of serious moments of crisis !

The Hindi word to the pandemic is worth it -- 'Maha-maari'. 

In this context, one would say while there is need to realise that although people were ostensibly clapping and showering flower to show gratitude to doctors, nurses and others; the big picture message was there was middle class and poor showing  faith in Modi's leadership ! 

ends