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Talk Point: In taking risks, Modi has surpassed all other PMs, including Indira Gandhi

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Even the most ardent supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi say that there are many similarities between him and former PM Indira Gandhi. Her authoritarian style of leadership, the complete loyalty she demanded from her party members and cabinet, and the strong role of the state that she envisioned in her policies are just some commonalities. The cult-like following that she enjoyed — illustrated by the slogan ‘Indira is India, and India is Indira’— is mirrored in the sentiment of  ‘ghar ghar Modi’ and Modi bhakti that is present across many parts of the country today. 

On her 100th birthday anniversary, we ask experts: Is Modi the new Indira?

Both Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi appear to represent the characteristics of an authoritative style of leadership. However, Narendra Modi is far more consultative than Mrs Gandhi as far as decision making is concerned.

Indira Gandhi demonstrated leadership in which heredity played a significant role. On the contrary, Modi on the basis of his popularity, performance, and clean image, compelled his party to declare him its Prime Ministerial candidate.

While the leadership came to Indira Gandhi partly due to legacy, with the passage of time, she proved to be the most popular leader of her era. Modi, on the other hand, proved his leadership in Gujarat, and subsequently earned it in national politics as well.

Mrs Gandhi established her dominance within the party by replacing the popular leaders of the Congress in the state with those chosen by the ‘high command’, which gradually eroded the grassroots base of the party and led to the subsequent decline of the Congress. In contrast, Modi has empowered state leaders and handed over leadership to them. He did not bring in personal likes or dislikes to an extent, as he did not feel any threat from state leaders.

 


Here are other sharp perspectives on the comparison between Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi:

Zoya Hasan, Professor Emerita, JNU
Mridula Mukherjee, political historian
Sagarika Ghose, journalist and author of ‘Indira, India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister’
Sanjay Nirupam, president, Mumbai Congress Committee


 

Politics decided the issues of governance under Indira Gandhi; bank nationalisation being a classic case, since it was a decision she took under political pressure from the Left. Modi, meanwhile, is driven by the realisation that governance will automatically yield political dividends.

A leader is known by his/her capacity to take risks and think out of box; Modi has surpassed all the Prime Ministers the country has seen so far. He raised the hopes of the people in the run-up to the elections; then, under pressure to deliver, he has changed the grammar and narratives. He is replacing ad-hocism with institutional mechanisms. Moves like demonetisation, digitisation, Skill India, Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Make in India, and moving towards e-governance will alter the narrative and have a larger positive impact in time.

Both Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi want a stronger India in military terms. Here too, Modi has outsmarted all previous Prime Ministers in resorting to pragmatism in international politics. The 1971 war demonstrated Mrs Gandhi’s leadership, but it also must be admitted that she lost on the negotiation table what the military had gained on the battlefield. Modi bargains far harder than her. His Act East policy, redefining US-India relations, mobilisation of the Indian diaspora, and insistence on manufacturing military hardware at home are courageous, innovative, and aimed at asserting India’s new role in international politics.

Sangit Ragi is a professor of political science at Delhi University.

TalkPoint compiled by Nikhil Rampal.

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