Narendra Modi


A controversial leader has ambitions to be India’s next prime minister

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Readers' comments



1). Urban educated India, especially from the Delhi-Punjab region, maharashtra-Gujarat, and across south, led by TN, AP. Karnataka and Kerala, have been on a roll for more than a decade. Living standards, measured by motorised vehicle ownership, housing, fuel used for cooking, per capita incomes have shown a sea change in 15 years. If one brushes away the rhetoric and compare Gujarat with Maharashtra, TN, Karnataka, goa, .Pondicherry, AP, Kerala, in terms of economic and HDI metrics, one would find multiple examples of states that have done well. In fact, Goa, Pondicherry. tN, Kerala, and HP have done better in terms composite measures of wealth and HDI indicators. So Modi cannot claim to be such a stand out in development. He has a lot to learn CMs across India in terms of improving living standards of the poor. At some point he needs to shed his arrogance and concede the fact that the road to reform was paved by Manmohan Singh, Narasimha Rao, and P Chidambaram. Gujarat is prosperous because of those policies. Calling a Cambridge educated economist the night watchman is in horrible taste.

2). 2002.... Much has been written about that year and violence and hatred filled period of 1992 to 2002. When a mosque got razed to ground, when murderous riots spread across the country, with flames of hatred kept alive by RSS and the Sangh Parivar. Godhra carnage happened against such a backdrop. In such a charged atmosphere, a few Muslims torched Sabarmati express killing 59 Karsevaks, and in the no holds barred retribution that followed more than 1000 got killed in a 3 week orgy of violence. Narendra Modi is a RSS ideologue, he subscribes to the Ram Mandir movement. Post riots during election speeches he has repeatedly used choice words to polarise the society, referring to them citizens in his country as we five, us twenty five (polygamy), and called them Mian Musharaf. If modi's stance is that he is already exonerated by SIT on the handling of riots, can he comment on his speeches? Can he comment on the Ram Mandir movement and assure India that there would be no space in his government for recreating this backdrop of hatred and division. If he is so passionate about development can he cut off the links with RSS? I am a practicing Hindu, and I believe those who foment hatred in the name of religion do not represent its ethos in any manner.

Dharmic in reply to anandmapr

Blah blah - I am from AP and I know the situation in AP. We only wish we had a CM like Modi. "When Mosque got razed to ground" - No it is one of the illegal mosque that was built by tampering and demolishing the Lord Rama's temple in his own birth place (like you guys did with other temples in India and Israel). Few Muslims torched! How dare you? Why don't you line up with your family - I will torch you all you guys. 1000! where do got numbers? Tell me in which part of the world are muslims living without alteration? They fight and kill each other in Pakistan itself? More muslims were killed by muslims in Pakistan within 4 months of a new year. Oh you don't have balls to ask them... but you can point fingers at a hindu because they are harmless. If you believe Quran is above all then don't respect constitution of India by disregarding the voting rights. Hypocrites! Traitors!

Deepika Mishra in reply to anandmapr

Simple question? Which "progressive" states, among those whom you have listed, is able to provide 24 hr interrupted power supply to its inhabitants? Of course, power supply will be dismissed as a minor achievement in comparison to unimpressive HDI for Gujarat. But provisioning for uninterrupted power is undeniably a strong indicator of the commitment of a govt. towards improving the living standards of the people.
Talking of HDI, Gujarat has been praised by CAG for the posting the strongest improvement in child malnutrition rates over the decade of Modi's rule. ( Additionally, you ignored that when the state of Gujarat was formed it had terrible HDI indicators to begin with.
In modern times, the principal role of govt is empowering its citizens by improving infrastructure and developing opportunities to allow each individual to grow to his potential. In all these aspects Gujarat govt performed splendidly. For all the traditional advantages of entrepreneurship and cultural business acumen, the state of Gujarat also suffers from several natural disadvantages such as aridity and lack of mineral resources. So you cannot take away credit from Gujarat govt for business growth.
Moreover, the reforms of 1991, pioneered by N Rao and MM Singh happened to the whole of India then why are rest of Indian states still wallowing in misery.

bhanu87 in reply to anandmapr

Well, I live in Hyderabad and I can tell you that there is more than 5-6 hours of schedule power cuts across the city.Situation in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is worse. Gujarat has shown some positive things,which rest of country should try to copy.First of all no free electricity conceptshould be imitated across the country and respective states should be made responsible for the power losses they face.Building roads and infra is far more tougher and demanding job than writing a NREGA scheme ,which till today is given as example of government mismanagement and blowing away 40 billions of dollars without any considerable capital asset creation.Not to mention that inefficincey and corruption in 14 billons dollars of farm loan waiver ,so called trump winning card played by UPA during 2009 election.

I don't have any personal liking or disliking for Modi,but this guys has got metal and some good ideas which he can implement and take the country forward.Current mess we are in is because of massive welfare state which congress has built on meagre economy of 1.8 trillion dollars.Matter of fact is we simply don't have enough money to waste around and doing mindless socialism.Had we invested the billions for infra and job skills programme, which we invested in wasteful programme,we would have been in better situation.And yes if you say Himachal is doing good or Maharastra is doing good,which I will agree, then let me know when Prithviraj Chavan or Shelia Dikshit is made candidate for PM post.

Regarding his role in 2002 riots,I will take SIT report and supreme court verdict to be final.Neither congress nor its paid media can change my personal understanding and view of things,which I consider while judging a person for top job of the country.Although I cannot say same thing about rest of India,where people get swayed by more rhetoric and over the mouth statements than actual facts and figures.

Have a good day


“The origin of the state is conquest” and “the origin of the state is the social contract” are not two rival explanations. One deals with the origin of the state in real time, the other with logical deduction.

Mr. Modi is a controversial leader, this is a fact, however, his mantle as a leader, a seasoned orator, his capitalist approach for development can not be ignored at the same time. He has done a descent job in governing Gujarat state for a decade, like Mr. Raman Singh in Chattisgarh, Mr. Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Mr. N.D. Tiwari did in Uttarakhand and Mr. Shivraj Chauhan is doing in MP. Ruling a state with full majority and a nation in a coalition need different styles of working.

Indian voters can be categorized as non ignorant, rational ignorant and irrational ignorant voters. Leaders like Jayalalitha, Raja Bhaiyya, Pawar clan etc. are repeatedly elected despite of their corrupt and criminal backgrounds. This can only be taken as the cost of democracy.

2014 will be an interesting elections to watch, UPA vs. Modi vs. Aam Admi Party vs. regionalism vs. caste vs..... Democracy at its worst show case !!!


The article does not quite capture why NM's campaign is gathering strength and why his campaign is path breaking (his ambition aside).

NM is the first mainstream politician in India (at least since early 1980s i.e., time I have followed politics in India) who has enunciated an economic vision and examples of specific steps that can be taken. Further, he is the only one with the courage to suggest deregulation and redefining the role of Government rather than focussing on creating govt jobs/ providing reservations for the poor/ promising to eradicate poverty and not knowing how to do it. This should be seen in the context of all politicians professing a left of centre position and never spelling their economic agenda.

The author of the article seems to have forgotten that even in Europe (where India type poverty does not exist), politcians that are left of the centre are winning. This seems to be lost on the author of the article.

Today his opponents are attacking him on 2002 riots. Effectively, his opponents would like this election to be fought on identity of individuals based on religion and caste. NM found like this election to be fought on economic agenda.

One comment on leadership (referred to in the article). Britain needed a Churchill to fight the second world war. China liberalised because Deng Xiaoping thought about that (not beacuse the billions came together and decided that).

Democracy apart, world advances thanks to exceptional individuals (Bill gates, Newton, Keynes, Darwin, etc). Similarly, India also needs a leader who can get India out of the mess.

Varshra in reply to Gandstein

Who brought in economic reforms and deregulation in many areas??? Not enough in my opinion but responding to your comment on "he is the only one with the courage to suggest deregulation." Remember, FDI in Retail is opposed both by Modi and the BJP !

for education in reply to Varshra

Yes, Manmohan Singh was instrumental in bringing in deregulation but he has strangled himself. FDI in manufacturing is more important than FDI in retail (which Modi professes), a score card needs to be established as to which sectors should receive FDI first for the maximum benefit of the country.

lone warrior in reply to Varshra

FDI in retail comes with 30% of the produces marketed should be from small scale / unorganized sector, which will be in the controll of the politicians / cronies.

BJP need NOT oppose if they have no vested interests.

Now NO overseas investor will invest in India, where laws are vague and could be changed overnight, counrty ridden with corruption, ingnorant / untalented workers with poor skills, but with certificates of graduation.


A highly opinionated piece full of lies and half truths presented selectively. Isn't it an irony that the major problems facing India, upon which it's future depends, the likes of economic development, tackling corruption were not even devoted a paragraph while the author kept on shouting about peripheral issues which might perhaps make a part of icing but don't come close to the cake. Mr Modi while on his so called road shows hit all the right notes, like easing labor laws, privatization of inefficient and loss making PSUs. This is the kind of leadership that India needs right now, to create jobs and prosperity for it's people and increasing its competitiveness the world over; not the overdose of doles of free money in the name of welfare spending that the current UPA government is adamantly doing for its petty short term gains without giving a single thought about India's long term future and at the same time making its people lazy and unproductive. Indian media is perceived largely to be controlled by partisan interests and biased to the extent of insanity towards the ruling coalition but more was expected from the Economist. Sadly, it also failed to present a neutral perspective, representing both sides of the coin.




So "the Economist" has no problem with a college-drop-out, drug-addict, rapist (literally in UP), dump - Rahul Gandhi - to have ambition for PM post? "Controversial" - how is he controversial - He was neither able to save Hindus in the train nor their rage. Can Obama stop the gunshots that is happening everyday in US? "The Econimist" sold out to Italian gandhis - shame shame shame!

Communal Award

If Modi is really innocent he should come to a mosque on Friday without his gunmen.

Mehta677 in reply to Communal Award

Muslims have full freedom to go to the mosque. Hindus don't ask muslim leaders to turn up at temples to prove their innocence. Why should Modi go to a mosque. Hindus respect religious beliefs and freedom of Muslims, and same must be reciprocated.

Prashant Singh in reply to Mehta677

But they won't.Just today a news article came up in communist The Hindu newspaper which, with it's usual twist, reported that in a village the Majority Muslim community is demanding that the Hindus stop celebrating their festivals and the related processions(Navratri festival is going on). Why? Because they are afraid that they will be harmed by those in processions. Should the Hindus in rest of India demand the same out of their Muslims neighbors.Like in my Home Town Lucknow(largest Shia Pop. in India) , should I demand the same from Minority Muslim community? These guys just don't understand the word Peace and reciprocity.

Mehta677 in reply to Communal Award

It is not muslims, but hindus themselves are enemies of hindus.. 95% of muslims of india are hindu descendants, and have forgotten their heritage, blinded by the false beliefs and it is our noble cause to bring them back to light from darkness of burkhas and animalistic minds

It is customary to declare any significant or important competing interests, which may inform the context of your comment.

Ex: Nationality, Mental health issues (which could be a consequence of consanguinity, Neurotic belief systems, childhood trauma…) etc.

sanman in reply to Communal Award

Communal Award, previously you used to harp on caste issues, but Modi himself is from a low-caste background, and is also the most able politician in India.

So now you want to change your name to Muslim Award, by taking up their cudgels and vendetta politics against Modi?

You're a flip-flopper and an inconsistent debater.

Ketan J

Is it possible to sue journalists for writing only the half truth and for de-forming the history so that the readers are mislead after reading? If the answer is NO, then such article writers need to submit their academic degrees. There is now way that they could have "earned". They are definitely not worthy of such designations like journalist.


The Tamil Nadu CM (Jayalalita)is silent on the accusations (murder of Muslims) against Narendra Modi. Yet she shouts her head off against how the Sri Lankan Government is treating Tamils.

I am at a loss to understand this two faced approach by the Tamil Nadu CM (both Modi and the Sri Lankan government is accused of murder of innocents).

Can someone help me understand what stance the Tamilnadu CM is is taking on these two issues?

Coin.2.sides in reply to Shamal

TN CM is not supporting LTTE....and neither is Muslims of Gujarat held in concentration camps....there was riot in Gujarat and people on both sides died....In SL, LTTE fought and died (Jaya is not supporting LTTE)....But innocent tamil people in SL abused by army/police and kept in concentration camps, this is not the case for gujarat, there is SC cases filed and accused getting Gujarat, i wont agree that police didnt do anything because...more than 300 people died in police firing....There is lot of difference between the 2...

Secondopinion in reply to Coin.2.sides

Anyone who equates SriLankan citizens of Tamil origins with Indian citizens of Islamic pursuation is missing the point. India has to be concerned about its citizens, not citizens of another country. This does not reduce Modi's guilt, if it is ultimately proved that he did engineer or not do enough to stop, the post Godhra massacre.


"..over 1,000 people were killed, mostly Muslims" is a dead giveaway. The phrase has been repeated ad-nauseum in the past 11 years and shows how rehashed reports are being used to propagate a false view point. The phrase hides the following facts:

1. 30% of those killed were Hindus
2. Several dead Hindus had bullet wounds from firing by security forces
3. Several of the dead included the security forces.

This wouldn't make it look like a genocide or a state sponsored pogrom.

The politicians that directed the mobs were of both the Congress and BJP, a fact conveniently glossed over by the biased journalists.

Mehta677 in reply to guest-lemolse

Why lament this half-truth biased reports? It started with genocide, then over 2000 muslims.. after constant protests to bring truth out, this group of liars have admitted to 1000 deaths.. in time, they will have to accept the full truth as you outlined, i.e. riots were in fact riots, where both sides show aggression,hundreds of hindus were ruthlessly burnt or killed, hundreds of thousands of hindus were displaced

syn15 in reply to guest-lemolse

The point is not about the number of Muslims/Hindus killed in the riots. Majority of those killed were Muslims. Period.

Sanjeev Bhatt, an IPS officer serving in Gujarat during the time of the riots, spilled the beans on Modi. Why haven't you pointed that out? Political vendetta by Bhatt,eh? A Congress conspiracy,no?

You have conveniently picked out facts that support your argument and disregarded those against it. Typical


Disappointed with this poorly researched article. It has failed to provide unbiased analysis.Narendra modi is a great visionary,honest and capable administrator.
There is no case against Mr. Modi. The Special invitation team set by Supreme Court of India, has already given clean chit to him. Media trials and allegation cannot convict him. These allegations are politically motivated. You cannot target a person for 11 years just for political benefits. There is no violence in Gujarat for last 11 years. That’s shows secular credential of Mr. Modi. He continuously won Gujarat election thrice. Gujarat is only state where Mr.Modi allowed fair investigation for riot victims. Even then Modi is being targeted with a false political propaganda by Congress.


AGAIN, Tall poppy syndrome in full display. Written by Congress paid "secular" so called journalist who blatantly moulded the truth to misguide readers thinking readers are fools who wont make out the discrepancies in this article. why cannot people just present a balanced view?


Lot of English media and pseudoseculars have done everything to abuse Hindus and specially assertive Hindus who want to live with dignity in their own country. Why media has no problem with the burning of Hindus in Godhra, Killing of Hindus in Kashmir and their forced mass exodus from Kashmir valley. Who is more tollerent than Hindus? Look at the history of Islam. What happened to the Parsies that they had to run from Iran? What is the status of Hindus in Pakistan, and Bangladesh? Even in India whereever the Muslims are in majority such as in Godhra or parts of Bombay, Aligarh, Meerut etc. they indulge in constant jihad and still media is busy abusing Hindus. What a shame? I am tired of this hypocracy. Look through all the other comments and you will see the hypocracy of this article of your esteemed paper.

Jai Bharat
Jai Namo


Well, well, Narendra Modi is controversial, is he?

And the Congress Party whose leaders carried out the 1984 pogroms which killed over ten thousand people are then too sweet to merit controversy?

The Supreme Court of India has just re-opened the 1984 Riots case against Congress Partyman Jagdish Tytler - something which the holier-than-thou writers at the Economist can't be bothered to notice.

Modi is a decent man who's been vilified by a decades-old predatory ruling kleptocracy who really do have blood on their hands. I'm an atheist, but I certainly support Narendra Modi, who's a hardworking no-nonsense politician with a strong record of development and economic progress. I certainly won't stay silent while a bunch of crooked 3rd-world ruling kleptocrats smear the one decent politician whom they fear has a chance of overthrowing their destructive One Party State.


I have gone from being a Modi-sceptic to being an ardent Modi supporter.

I was a Modi-sceptic back when I blindly believed the media's repeated assertion about his possible role in the 2002 riots. That was jarring and it tainted my views about him for the longest time.

Then I started researching his track record, reading his speeches and listening to how he responded to questions. I found that the misinformation about him is being spread by the corrupt, incompetent party currently in power in collusion with anti-capitalism forces. One disgusting tactic being used is that the minorities are being scared into believing that he is a Hitler reincarnate. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Modi's favorite mantra is "Less government, better governance". On the other hand, he pays an inordinate amount of attention to education, women's empowerment, water conservation, sustainable energy and infrastructure. In other words, he combines the best ideas from both the left and the right. He is unabashedly nationalistic but one must not confuse nationalism with communalism.

The people of Gujarat, including minorities, has voted him into power three consecutive times with a very strong mandate. Gujarat has been free of communal strife since 2002 and all segments of society have prospered. Even the overblown "malnourishment" claim has been tackled - please do the research and publish Modi's response on this.

As we approach the elections, many charges will be thrown at the man - some valid, some exaggerated and some simply untrue. I hope that responsible publications such as this will separate the rice from the chaff and not simply parrot spoon-fed misinformation. Please also examine his opponent equally - you will find that they are nowhere in the same league as him.

Jai Hindustani in reply to pseodnym

Its a waste of time to read this type of articles. They have nothing to say but scratch the same 2002 wounds. Agreed, it was a mistake, but whats the point in bringing back the same old stories? The message is: no riots have taken place after 2002, full stop. To spread the propaganda that Mr. Modi supported the rioters is wrong, and even courts of India have found him not guilty.
India has come a long way since 1947, now we no longer need character certificates from you western hypocrites. Take a look at your own track records in the Middle East, Africa and South America. We Indians have not committed even 0.01% of your crimes on humanity. Such articles are of no consequence, which is underscored by the fact that the GREAT BRITAIN and the EU themselves came calling at the doors of Narendra Modi, begging him to have trade with them. What a pity, even The Economist can not see the reality of economy.
By the way, who is the author of this effing article? I am sure its one of our own Indians.

Challa54 in reply to pseodnym

For those who are serious about finding facts as to what happened in 2002 riots and also subsequent investigation might be interested in reading detailed write up by some one called Madhu Kishwar. This brave lady, not so long ago was a skeptic like all anti- Modi people. She has done lot of research into this and is still updating her blog on regular basis. I hope she does not mind me giving this information. The blog is called modinama. Just google madhu kishwar.

nightvision in reply to pseodnym

Yes, I was in the same state as you, brainwashed by a propaganda driven media which has shamelessly sold its soul to the dynasty. Thanks to social media and independent bloggers, I have gotten to the root of the matter and evolved a far more nuanced view of the matter. In the current context, there is no doubt that Modi is the only choice India has, even if it is just in terms of increasing the morale of the country. India has been utterly disgraced by this puppet PM and his uneducated god mother. We deserve better!


I am wondering how Economist decides to publish articles. I do not see name of the writer or journalist. Do you have something to hide? My view is this written by some paid political person in the name of news. Very dishonest and unprofessional. By the way Modi is against any kind of caste based politics. It is reserved for Congress, communist and nehruvian socialist. Congress is failed miserably in India. We like it go away and Mr. Modi is only person who can do so as well make India what most people wants.

sanman in reply to for education

They're not even British anymore, after quickly finding they could rent themselves out to Brussels for more money. It's only now that the EU experiment in rollercoaster borrowing-and-bankruptcy is coming apart that they're hesitatingly looking back at Britain again.

Shekhar Gunjal

The secular/communal credentials of Modi vs Congress has been hashed out umpteen times that talking about it anymore seems like a cliche!
Indian youth is not interested in the religion politics anymore. Indian education system is adding 100,000 young people every month to the labour market and they are looking for jobs, security and clear signals from the government policies that they will have a chance .. Congress has failed in every front of governance today and this is where Modi's track record helps him articulate his policies better.
Its economics and not religion which will play a major role in the next general elections in India.
FYI, Maya Kodnani was one of the VHP/RSS candidates that Modi HAD to accomodate in his 2007 cabinet because of those internal BJP rebels & dissidents who opposed Modi. WikiLeaks has clearly laid this fact bare. Left to Modi, he would not have inducted her in his cabinet at all.


Kishor Patel

Let's get some facts straight - Modi does not derive support from right wing groups. The fact is that he has sidelined extreme right views from likes of Togadia and VHP. Hence, he was not a person of choice for RSS, until they had no choice, but to support him due to grass roots support Modi has. Modi's support is purely derived from direct connection with people - including tribals, minorities, women, youth - whichever way you slice it.

Sure, the facts will cause indigestion to many, as now they fear that should Modi be able to connect to people of India, like he did to people of Gujarat, their days are numbered... which means they cannot continue to plunder the national treasury with impunity, and will be held accountable. This is what opposition to Modi is about, all else is just noise...


The comments are unfair to facts. (1)Modi has never expressed his intention to be PM. BJP has time and again clarified that PM prospect will be decided by the parliamentory board. Hence there is a built in fallacy in the line of argument.(2) State ruled by Modi is the only state which did not suffer a single communal clash in over a decade, No other state has spent even a year free from a communal clash. (3) So Called secular gentry have divided country in multiple ways. first into majority and minority then majority into forward and backward, then foeward into OBC, dalit and adivasi. There is on going race and agitations amongst OBC to be counted as dalit.At ground level it frustrates promising youth. In a government job forward community has hurdles first in employement then in placement and then in Promotion. (4) People who talk of all inclusive growth have achieved neither incliseveness nor growth.
(5) Muslims are at the mercy of clergy to such an extent that it has left muslim community poor and largely illitarate save religious training. (6) Modi has always talked about progress with all progress for all. (7) Modi has demoonstated his ability. (7) Rahul Gandhi is a propped up leader. Even after 10 years in party he does not have even one achievement to call his own. He refuses to take responsiblity. His record of electioneering is dismal thaat no congress man wants to discuss. (8) If has moved a long way from his roots. Congressman have called him every kind of abusive epithets including god of death. Modi increases his popularity with every criticism. In fact he has surpried his opponents with masterstrokes of strategy. He has neutralized his stiffest opponents in his state. He is techno savvy. I think this much is enough for the present



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