My take on Narendra Modi...
Gujarat elections are just a month away and Modi has become a hot topic in almost every social gathering.The very name Narendra Modi invokes extreme reactions from people. I either meet people who are Modi fanatics or who have a strong dislike for this man. The kind of responses Modi evokes sometimes surprises me. Everytime there is a discussion about this man, I don't know what to make of him. I can neither support him nor can I completely disregard him.
I wonder whether it is actually possible to have a stance on Modi. I wanted to learn more about him. The more I read, the more I was confused. I came across articles which called him an 'agent of change' and in the very same article he was called the 'merchant of death'. Some spoke of his landslide win in the 2007 elections and some about how he had weaved his magic in Gujarat. With development as his Mantra, Modi definitely is a firebrand leader. His quick decision making abilities and the way he attracts business into his land is a truly remarkable lesson that every CM should learn.
Having said all this...Can Modi be called a complete leader? For me the answer is NO! He has been called as a mass murderer for his complacency during the Godhra riots. Instances from the Naroda patiya and gulberg society massacres are horrifying.I dread to even imagine something like this happening in my state. It's unfortunate that this firebrand leader was unable to stop the violence from escalating. Vibrant Gujarat now was once a bloodied Gujarat. It's shocking that Modi also had people like Maya Kodnani as the minister for child and women welfare in his cabinet. Sigh!
It is important to live in the present. He has to be lauded for the changes that he has brought into Gujarat. But a black mark like the godhra riots can never be washed away from Modi's political career.
For a minute, forget the Godhra riots and look at Modi... he surely is the leader that every state craves for. From political stablity to development, this man has literally transformed Gujarat. But, is it really that easy to forget?
With elections just a month away, I hope the aam aadmi in Gujarat is not as confused as I am. I guess they know what's best for Gujarat.
