Indian People and Narendra Modi

Indian People and Narendra Modi

Which Indian Prime minister was born in 'Independent India'? The only answer: Sri Narendra Damodardas Modi. With the start of the journey of the Republic of India in 1950, a very humble person also started his life journey from Vadnagar, Gujarat and became a 'phenomenon' in 70 years- an epitome of modern-day Rajarshi- the Saint-king of Bharat Rashtra. 

It is said that common sense is not common. But Indian people have proved beyond any doubt that they have common sense in choosing the national leadership of Narendra Modiji cutting across caste, creed and regional lines. Here comes the moot question: On what basis and calculation Indian people reposed faith in Modiji? 

At the first let all be clear that 'common people' doesn't make a monolithic entity. Common people have so many sub-identities with a mixed bag of different identities entangled and wrapped in a unique manner. Then the most relevant question arises: How far a person can have the opportunities to know and analyse the contextual factors of his/her social environment and changing situation of which s/he is a member? What are the criteria on whose basis Indian people judge the leadership capability of their political representatives?

Max Weber, the great Sociologist, propounded the three 'Ideal Types of Leadership' based on charismatic, traditional and rational-legal authority. But the fact is that all the three types of leadership have been so intricately blended in the persona of Narendra Modi that his charismatic personality, cultural rootedness in Indian tradition and his authoritative leadership based on democratic rational-legal values have made him an undisputed credible national leader of our time. 

Here also arises a question: Do Indian people choose their leaders only on the basis of the personal charisma of a leader? In this context let us analyse the theory proposed by the famous Nobel laureate economist and psychologist Herbert Simon. He propounded the 'Bounded Rationality Theory' and the 'Satisfysing Theory' to analyse the decision making process. A person can’t know all factors relevant to a decision so that the decision taken can be the most beneficial and cost-effective. Then the so-called rational decision is ‘bounded’ by constraints. So a person makes a decision which is ‘satisfysing' – the best possible option s/he can make for the moment given the contextuality. 

Here also comes the 'Need Hierarchy Theory' of the famous psychologist Abraham Maslow to perceive and analyse the mentality of a common man. Maslow’s Need Hierarchy theory presumed a hierarchical structure of human needs in a pyramidal form, wherein the basic physiological needs of food, shelters etc come first at the base of the pyramid of human needs. And then comes other needs of safety needs, social needs and ego needs to be fulfilled hierarchically. At the last comes the self-actualization at the top of the pyramidal need structure where a human being doesn't require any external drive to be fulfilled and a person becomes self-contained, self-motivated actualised person.

With the above comes different push and pull factors operating in the external environment. Push factors have been the factors which push a person from his/her earlier choices, and pull factors pull a person towards a new choice. 

So, the four paradigms of political leadership, bounded rationality and satisfysing choices, different levels of need fulfilment, and different push-pull factors influence a common man in a 'perceptive' way to make decisions in life with some other factors. No doubt, Indian people have found a perfect synchronization of all the above paradigmatic dimensions in the persona of Narendra Modi. Let us discuss it briefly.

The issues on national security, national pride and national identity with an emotive nationalism must have influenced Indian people as pull factors for Narendra Modi in whom common people got an authoritative and decisive leadership for their national security need fulfilment. The Uri and Balakot episodes had indicated an assertive paradigm shift in national security policy under Modiji, which has now stood firm against the expansionist China's salami slicing policy in the post-Galwan bloody face-off in Ladakh.

Let us now come to the fulfilment of basic needs of food, shelters etc. From an all-inclusive financial project of Jan Dhan Yojana with insurance coverage to so many central projects like food security, housing, toilets, electricity, gas connection, water connection, rural roads etc have been operationalised by the Modi government to address the basic needs of common people. Along with these Modiji ensured direct transfer of government benefits to people through JAM – Jan Dhan account, Aadhaar and Mobile trinity to address the problem of leakage and corruption. With these measures came few social projects to address the acute problems of farmers like direct cash benefits, and pension schemes for both farmers and unorganized labourers. From the MUDRA loan scheme for business to the Ayusman Bharat for health insurance and the Atmanirbhar Bharat yojana for rebuilding India in post-Covid era, Indian people got a positive answer to meet their basic needs.

Next, the fulfilment of social needs of a person. In the Modi regime, common people witnessed a digital revolution with an open social media. Narendra Modiji has been using the social media so innovatively to connect to the Indian people directly and pulling people towards him. In case of demonetisation and GST, Modiji took the entire responsibility in an ethical way and the Indian people have seen a 'just person' in public life.

Now, the push factors. When we like to choose something, we like to know the alternative. But no one could present himself/herself as a credible and accountable alternative vis-a-vis Narendra Modi at the national level. Moreover, every personal attack on Modiji and his calm and composed response have pushed Indian people much nearer to him from the attacking persons as personal attack is very much condemned in Indian culture.

In totality, for the Indian people in the twenty-first century Narendra Modi has not only been a political personality but an institution himself who has been striving to make a 'New India' by regenerating India socio-economically as well as geo-politically.

@ Sujit Roy