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[RustyNails]

Disclaimer: I'm a lazy American, and it just boggles my mind that our mainstream media is not talking about this. This article was posted in Guardian on Friday regarding the new Prime Minister of India, Narendar Modi.

Narendra Modi and the new face of India

With the rise of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi culminating in this week's election, Pankaj Mishra asks if the world's largest democracy is entering its most sinister period since independence

Click on the link above for a complete reading. It's a HUGE article, one of the biggest you will ever read. So here are the main quotes from the article about India's new PM:

• Modi is a lifelong member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a paramilitary Hindu nationalist organisation inspired by the fascist movements of Europe, whose founder's belief that Nazi Germany had manifested "race pride at its highest" by purging the Jews is by no means unexceptional among the votaries of Hindutva, or "Hinduness". In 1948, a former member of the RSS murdered Gandhi for being too soft on Muslims.

• Narendra Modi, the Hindu nationalist chief minister of Gujarat accused, along with his closest aides, of complicity in crimes ranging from an anti-Muslim pogrom in his state in 2002 to extrajudicial killings, and barred from entering the US, may occupy India's highest political office.

(although I must point out that SC cleared him of responsibility, but people are demanding retrial and it's very messy)

• A senior American diplomat described him, in cables disclosed by WikiLeaks, as an "insular, distrustful person" who "reigns by fear and intimidation"; his neo-Hindu devotees on Facebook and Twitter continue to render the air mephitic with hate and malice, populating the paranoid world of both have-nots and haves with fresh enemies – "terrorists", "jihadis", "Pakistani agents", "pseudo-secularists", "sickulars", "socialists" and "commies".

• In an apparently ungovernable country, where many revere the author of Mein Kampf for his tremendous will to power and organisation, he has shrewdly deployed the idioms of management, national security and civilisational glory.

(translation: Hitler was praised in Indian textbooks in Gujarat's schools when Modi was the CM of Gujarat)

• Boasting of his 56-inch chest, Modi has replaced Mahatma Gandhi, the icon of non-violence, with Vivekananda, the 19th-century Hindu revivalist who was obsessed with making Indians a "manly" nation.

• In many ways, Modi and his rabble – tycoons, neo-Hindu techies, and outright fanatics – are perfect mascots for the changes that have transformed India since the early 1990s: the liberalisation of the country's economy, and the destruction by Modi's compatriots of the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya. Long before the killings in Gujarat, Indian security forces enjoyed what amounted to a licence to kill, torture and rape in the border regions of Kashmir and the north-east; a similar infrastructure of repression was installed in central India after forest-dwelling tribal peoples revolted against the nexus of mining corporations and the state.

• Modi, for instance, consistently mixes up dates and historical events, exposing an abysmal ignorance of the past of the country he hopes to lead into a glorious future. Yet his lusty hatred of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty excites many young Indians weaned on the neo-liberal opiates about aspiration and merit. And he combines his historical revisionism and Hindu nationalism with a revolutionary futurism. He knows that resonant sentiments, images, and symbols – Vivekananda plus holograms and Modi masks – rather than rational argument or accurate history galvanise individuals. Vigorously aestheticising mass politics, and mesmerising the restless young, he has emerged as the new India's canniest artist.

• The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), a political offshoot of the RSS that Nehru had successfully banished into the political wilderness, turned out to be much better at this kind of thing. In 1990, its leader LK Advani rode a "chariot" (actually a rigged-up Toyota flatbed truck) across India in a Hindu supremacist campaign against the mosque in Ayodhya. The wildfire of anti-Muslim violence across the country reaped immediate electoral dividends. (In old photos, Modi appears atop the chariot as Advani's hawk-eyed understudy). Another BJP chieftain ventured to hoist the Indian tricolour in insurgent Kashmir. (Again, the bearded man photographed helping his doddery senior taunt curfew-bound Kashmiris turns out to be the young Modi.) Following a few more massacres, the BJP was in power in 1998, conducting nuclear tests and fast-tracking the programme of economic liberalisation started by the Congress after a severe financial crisis in 1991.

 

[ComputerMKII]

How does Pakistan feel about this?

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Weren't both choices shit? Welcome to the dark ages I guess.

How does Pakistan feel about this?

Didn't they also elect an Islamist government? Shit's going to go down.

 

[RustyNails]

Didn't they also elect an Islamist government? Shit's going to go down.

Nawaz Sharif's party PML-N is not islamist.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

This does not bode well for anyone.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Sunday on HBO's Last Week Tonight, John Oliver interviewed CNN's Fareed Zakaria (an Indian-American Muslim whose father was an Islamic scholar) about the election results and Modi:

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO): Fareed Zakaria Interview Pt. 1

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO): Fareed Zakaria Interview Pt. 2


The BJP's alliance increased its percentage of the Muslim vote by 7% (from 13% to 20%) under Modi:

(Indian election results are here)

 

[G.O.O.]

What kind of context brought this guy into office ?

 

[paradise_circus]

I guess indias economic success?

 

[archnemesis]

What kind of context brought this guy into office ?

The previous government was inefficient and corrupt. Many are tired of the Gandhi dynasty where politicians are appointed because of their family name instead of merits. Modi is perceived to be an honest and self-made man. It's also important to note that his party received wide support from all groups and that they were able to secure a majority (with a large margin).

The article in the OP does a bad job separating Modi from other people. For instance, the quote about Hitler's popularity isn't referring to him. He is not responsible for other peoples actions.

I guess indias economic success?

Yep, that's another important factor.

 

[RibbedHero]

What kind of context brought this guy into office ?

Growth dropping from approaching-China levels (7-8%) to far more tepid levels of around 4.5-5.5%.

 

[Dryk]

Why is everyone electing nationalistic neo-liberals all of a sudden

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

I already knew he was a douchebag.

 

[triplestation]

Let's see what happens

 

[Madness]

It's not as clear cut as the OP tries to make it. The only reason Hitler was widely revered amongst nationalist organizations back then was precisely because he was against the British, the very people who had their boots on the necks of Indians at that time. So to any person wanting independence and indian nationalism it was a sort of enemy of my enemy is my friend. Not that it's right.

As for his election, it has less to do with entering a sinister period and more to do with the fact economic growth has faltered. Inflation is at massive levels, and this man helped turn his state into the richest in the country and is a shrewd businessman. The Congress party is increasingly looked at as corrupt, inefficient, and doesn't aspire to the same things, instead choosing to pander to minorities or provide subsidies that don't promote economic growth.

Modi may be extremely nationalistic but he's also very smart. The son of a tea stall worker, and one who sold tea himself doesn't become Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy without being a smart politician. He's aligned himself with the ruling party of Punjab in the North, gotten a lot of influential celebrities to run for him, and has utilized social media and digital outreach better than anyone.

To be honest, India needed a man like this. With the sheer number of seats and votes, he can pass most anything he wants. Of course some will complain about the tyranny of the majority, but India had turned into a bureaucratic nightmare where nothing would get done, budgets would be passed and billions siphoned off due to corruption. When you have a country with 26 official languages and the birthplace of 4 of the world's major religions, you need a strong centralized vision. Let's see how he operates.

 

[xenist]

The fact that people are reacting to Modi only after he got elected is ridiculous. It's fucking India not some two bit banana republic.

Anyway, I guess China and Pakistan are feeling pretty concerned right now.

 

[RustyNails]

Growth dropping from approaching-China levels (7-8%) to far more tepid levels of around 4.5-5.5%.

Didn't growth only drop in the last year or so after nearly a decade of rapid growth?

 

[RustyNails]

Sunday on HBO's Last Week Tonight, John Oliver interviewed CNN's Fareed Zakaria (an Indian-American Muslim whose father was an Islamic scholar) about the election results and Modi:

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO): Fareed Zakaria Interview Pt. 1

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO): Fareed Zakaria Interview Pt. 2


The BJP's alliance increased its percentage of the Muslim vote by 7% (from 13% to 20%) under Modi:

(Indian election results are here)

Cant watch right now but I thought Fareed Zakaria is an atheist and said so himself. As for Muslim voteshare, only his supporters in Muslim community voted for him but the overall Muslim turnout was low, which is why we see a bigger BJP voteshare.

 

[Dyno]

This was predictable. It's the answer to the question of what to do with the rising radical Islamic militancy in the region. The majority Hindu population have had enough and they have given a strong-arm government a mandate to strike back.

Pakistan is going to very busy for the next few years.

 

[SniperHunter]

This is bad news, there are a lot of minorities in India who have suffered a lot under the right wing Hindu movement.

This was going to happen though, Rahul Gandhi was a complete fool.

 

[Josh7289]

God dammit.

 

[Tanned-]

that description depicts his party as a hindu version of the taliban regime in Afghanistan

bad times ahead in the subcontinent if those are accurate

 

[Talon]

Ah, great. Pogroms. Thought we were rid of those.

 

[Tugatrix]

My country media call him a right wing extremist close to fascism, the guy must be that bad.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

This has been on bbc news all the time over the last month. Lotta people worried over his actions during the riots, and nationalistic tendancies.

 

[Cow Mengde]

At this point, I give up. People of India elected him into office. Maybe there's more to it than we know. Maybe he is a great leader, or maybe he's a scumbag. The fact that he was able to win support blows my mind. Hey, if this shit is all you need to win support, then maybe he's the Prime Minster India deserves and and not the Prime Minister they need.

 

[Deified Data]

Why is everyone electing nationalistic neo-liberals all of a sudden

Humanity longs for subjugation.

 

[RustyNails]

At this point, I give up. People of India elected him into office. Maybe there's more to it than we know. Maybe he is a great leader, or maybe he's a scumbag. The fact that he was able to win support blows my mind. Hey, if this shit is all you need to win support, then maybe he's the Prime Minster India deserves and and not the Prime Minister they need.

People bring extremist groups to power all the time. Egypt played with Muslim Brotherhood before the coup. Gaza elected Hamas. Its still part of democracy you cant do anything about it.

 

[Heshinsi]

It's not as clear cut as the OP tries to make it. The only reason Hitler was widely revered amongst nationalist organizations back then was precisely because he was against the British, the very people who had their boots on the necks of Indians at that time. So to any person wanting independence and indian nationalism it was a sort of enemy of my enemy is my friend. Not that it's right.

As for his election, it has less to do with entering a sinister period and more to do with the fact economic growth has faltered. Inflation is at massive levels, and this man helped turn his state into the richest in the country and is a shrewd businessman. The Congress party is increasingly looked at as corrupt, inefficient, and doesn't aspire to the same things, instead choosing to pander to minorities or provide subsidies that don't promote economic growth.

Modi may be extremely nationalistic but he's also very smart. The son of a tea stall worker, and one who sold tea himself doesn't become Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy without being a smart politician. He's aligned himself with the ruling party of Punjab in the North, gotten a lot of influential celebrities to run for him, and has utilized social media and digital outreach better than anyone.

To be honest, India needed a man like this. With the sheer number of seats and votes, he can pass most anything he wants. Of course some will complain about the tyranny of the majority, but India had turned into a bureaucratic nightmare where nothing would get done, budgets would be passed and billions siphoned off due to corruption. When you have a country with 26 official languages and the birthplace of 4 of the world's major religions, you need a strong centralized vision. Let's see how he operates.

Everything you wrote here makes sense and would explain why people voted him in. But I have a question about what happened in Gujarat. When you've got a former Parliament official and others repeatedly calling the mayor, police chief, and opposition members of the state government, for a period of over 5hrs, and not one person shows up to help them; that makes it sound like government collusion. Throw in multiple reports of the mobs using voter lists and detailed hand outs of which business belong to their intended targets, and it sounds like some one up high was providing information and also insuring that police stayed out of the way.

The New PM; how high up the power ladder was he in Gujarat at the time?

 

[Cow Mengde]

People bring extremist groups to power all the time. Egypt played with Muslim Brotherhood before the coup. Gaza elected Hamas. Its still part of democracy you cant do anything about it.

And it blows my mind what people were thinking of when they voted for these people.

 

[Quixzlizx]

The article seems more like an anti-capitalist rant with the Indian election as its theme.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Sounds like a swell guy.

 

[meta4]

That article is full of hyperbole. Unfortunate people outside India are being fed these half truths.

 

[RustyNails]

And it blows my mind what people were thinking of when they voted for these people.

It's not that difficult. These groups gain favor of the public through good actions like providing grain and rice, medical help and other social services. They also tap into the more stringent, ideological viewpoints (more rightwing), and hence they gain followers. I am not saying they do it in a machavelian sense. Some of them really do care about the community's health and well being. For example even before Hamas was a political party, they had field hospitals and such in Gaza. Also I am generalizing a lot, but this roughly how these groups come to power.

 

[RustyNails]

Everything you wrote here makes sense and would explain why people voted him in. But I have a question about what happened in Gujarat. When you've got a former Parliament official and others repeatedly calling the mayor, police chief, and opposition members of the state government, for a period of over 5hrs, and not one person shows up to help them; that makes it sound like government collusion. Throw in multiple reports of the mobs using voter lists and detailed hand outs of which business belong to their intended targets, and it sounds like some one up high was providing information and also insuring that police stayed out of the way.

The New PM; how high up the power ladder was he in Gujarat at the time?

Very important questions. Wish American media addressed them.

 

[popeutlal]

At this point, I give up. People of India elected him into office. Maybe there's more to it than we know. Maybe he is a great leader, or maybe he's a scumbag. The fact that he was able to win support blows my mind. Hey, if this shit is all you need to win support, then maybe he's the Prime Minster India deserves and and not the Prime Minister they need.

Previous people in charge basically destroyed the country due to corruption, they choose money over the health of the country.

There was no other choice really.

 

[xbhaskarx]

The article seems more like an anti-capitalist rant with the Indian election as its theme.

It's the Guardian.

That article is full of hyperbole.

It's the Guardian.

 

[njean777]

Heard a round table discussion about this man on NPR, so ha I am not lazy! But I still don't know how to feel about him , he seems kind of bad, but I do not fully understand Indian politics to give a real through judgement on the matter.

 

[TheRealTalker]

Cold War scenarios again between Pakistan and India

 

[akachan ningen]

Why is everyone electing nationalistic neo-liberals all of a sudden

Who is "everyone" exactly?

 

[zchen]

By far my favorite quote about Mr. Modi is this

"Narendrabhai has Arjuna-like clarity of vision. Narendrabhai literally is the lord of men, a leader among leaders and the king among kings," said Anil Ambani, who sat beside Modi on the dais. "Let me attempt to paint another picture: October 2, 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat — the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of the nation; October 31, 1875, Nariyal, Gujarat — the birth of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's man of steel; December 28, 1932, Chorwad, Gujarat — the birth of Dhirubhai Ambani, India's greatest entrepreneur; and September 17, 1950, Vadnagar, Gujarat — the birth of Narendra Modi," he said.

 

[War Peaceman]

It's the Guardian.



It's the Guardian.

Not quite. It is Pankaj Mishra, writing for the Guardian. The Guardian frequently takes opinion pieces from people across the political and ideological spectrum; more than most news sources I can think of.

It would be nice to read a variety of opinions on this, because nationalism is concerning but stasis and corruption is not an acceptable alternative. It is not an easy topic.

 

[Burt]

Cicking through the link to the article, I've seen that man's house before somewhere. Was it in a Vice or something? Can anyone help me out with this? Not a big deal but it's really bugging me. I'd put the image in my post but I can't grab it on mobile.

 

[DurielBlack]

And it blows my mind what people were thinking of when they voted for these people.

"At least he's not the other guy!"

Look how divided the US is right now along party lines, and we just keep getting the same shitty choices over and over again. It doesn't matter if the other guy has a awesome plan to deliver free high speed internet, a post-scarcity economy, create world peace, and lead everyone to the total fullfillment of their every whim by waving a magic wand that can be proven 100% to exist. A huge portion of people will never vote for him because he's "the greater evil" vs. the "lesser evil" and would prefer to live under the reincarnation of Hitler because reasons.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

It's the Guardian.



It's the Guardian.

lol

 

[Deified Data]

And it blows my mind what people were thinking of when they voted for these people.

"I hope they oppress the right people"

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

The fact that people are reacting to Modi only after he got elected is ridiculous. It's fucking India not some two bit banana republic.

Anyway, I guess China and Pakistan are feeling pretty concerned right now.

Wut?

 

[Sirpopopop]

Previous people in charge basically destroyed the country due to corruption, they choose money over the health of the country.

There was no other choice really.

Corruption is always a better choice over outright bigotry. Or... you could always vote for one of the third parties like the AAP.

 

[hiryu]

The whole world should be concerned about this region. Vice did some good stuff on how nuclear war between Pakistan and India would destroy the world.

 

[RustyNails]

By far my favorite quote about Mr. Modi is this

He is probably referring to Mahatma Gandhi from Civilization IV because there is no way you can compare Modi under whose watch a pogrom got carried out with Gandhi we know from history books.

 

[artist]

POGROMIST.

People should watch his interviews where he "shuts down" when he's asked tough questions.

It's too bad Congress messed up so bad and AAP wasnt able to capitalize.

I think Aamir Khan's Satyamev Jayate summarized it best - "All politicians are crooks, so I'll vote for the crook who's of my caste". That thinking ruined the election.