Easy Rests The Crown

 Climate Control In The Hot Seat 

World leaders since Roosevelt have found that regularly placing themselves firmly in the media, with no barrier other than airwaves (the Wild West of Twitter) between themselves and their electors, can be a fine way to distract the voting public from unsavoury thoughts in regards to the Centre, whoever the Centre may be. And who cares when you're getting a personal address from the Leader of The Greatest Country in the World? For whose isn't? We all take our pride, whether we realise it or not. And when a head of state reaches up or down to talk to Us personally, the natural response is to sit up and listen. Reality is secondary.

On April 30, 2023, another feather was added to the Prime Minister's already extravagant plumage, with the 100th radio broadcast of his brainchild Maan ki Baat (roughly translated as Speaking from the Heart). A significant milestone, it marked not only the quasi end of his two terms as the prime minister of India, but also illustrated the extend of his global outreach. Laudatory notes poured in from dignitaries all over the world on the wonderful way the leader of our country had managed to keep his people inspired, effecting change from grassroot level. Right from UNESCO DG, and Bill Gates to homegrown Amir Khan, Joohi Chawla, and Raveena Tandon, to name a few, were all praise for PM Modi's monthly endeavour to touch people with his words.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar coincided his foreign travels to be with Indian diaspora in New Jersey to commemorate this important milestone. At 2:30 a.m. on a Sunday, he joined a rather soporific looking audience to watch the PM bat a century. In India alone, 400,000 venues were set up for people to listen to the PM's broadcast. Several party leaders and federal ministers sat through this historical address with the member of their constituencies in a mega-exercise to connect with the public.

Just as well, for as the 2024 elections draw nearer, the number of feathers in PM Modi's virtual cap is accruing at an impressive rate. Every crisis, global or local is being metamorphosed into a victory for Modiji and his political and diplomatic acumen. Be it the recent evacuation of 2500-some Indians in war-torn Sudan concluding with Modiji Zindabad, or the successful return of Indian students from conflicted Ukraine. Even a regular run-of-the-mill opportunity to host G-20 summit has been presented as a laurel and a proof of the global recognition of the present administration. Mexico, also a developing country, preceded us in bagging this honor 11 years before we did; both Saudi Arabia and Indonesia too have enjoyed the privilege of hosting the event in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

Kudos should go to the I&B Ministry and the zealous party members who worked incessantly to ensure that the 100th episode was celebrated with enough bonanza and fanfare from the glitterati . Even though according to the official statement, Maan ki Baat has garnered at least 2.3 million regular audience, the media reports from 2016 onwards have been showing a gradual decline in its viewership. Condescending in his attitude, and simplistic in his message, Mr Modi clearly doubts the average IQ level of the people of a nation which considers itself Vishwaguru, the spiritual mentor of the world. Moreover, the overall content and the tone of the address coupled with his saintly voice, defy the aggressive Modi we see on the campaign trail, ridiculing opposition with a tirade of diatribes that soars above all Model Code of Conduct.

This goes on to show just how potent this monthly carnival is, for who even cares about menial inconsistencies like these when your Head of State is showing you the love and respect you deserve? Is this not why we vote? How much reality are we really dealing with here? Who knows?




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