Analysing Modi's rule: A closer look at his leadership style and governance

The great Indian electoral war of 2024 is yet to begin. But, chatter has already started that the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to win the general elections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself projecting 'ab ki baar 400 paar.'

Calling a leader a perfect fit for the country depends on the person's capability to mobilise voters' support. But, this is hardly a new tactic, especially when Modi has a history of doing so. Be it the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when BJP gained a majority in the lower house or the 2019 general elections after which his administration revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status, Narendra Modi is the guru of playing cards at the right time.

From his humble beginnings as a tea seller to his charismatic speeches and bold leadership, Modi has successfully projected an image of a strong, decisive, and relatable leader.

However, in recent years, India has become increasingly polarised under the leadership of Narendra Modi, whose tenure as Prime Minister has been marked by a series of controversial decisions and actions that have raised concerns.

What common people have to say

One of the defining moments of Modi's tenure was the controversial decision to demonetise high-value currency notes in 2016. While the move had significant economic implications, it was also a brilliant messaging triumph. Modi skillfully marketed demonetisation as a step towards curbing corruption and black money, resonating with the public's desire for a cleaner and more transparent governance system.

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"Modi's economic policies, particularly the implementation of demonetisation and the hasty rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have been widely criticised for their adverse impact on small businesses and the informal sector, leading to job losses and economic hardships for millions of Indians," Rita Todankar, a Mumbai resident, said.

Critics argue that Modi's leadership style leans towards authoritarianism, with a tendency to centralise power and suppress dissent. His government's handling of dissenting voices, journalists, and political opponents has drawn criticism for its alleged disregard for democratic principles and human rights.

The Modi government's approach to religious and social issues has also come under scrutiny. People accuse Modi and BJP of promoting a Hindu nationalist agenda that marginalises religious minorities, particularly Muslims.

"The controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) have been condemned as discriminatory and divisive, sparking widespread protests across the country," Todankar said.

"Even, Modi's handling of key foreign policy issues has been called into question. His government's response to border disputes with neighboring countries, particularly China and Pakistan, has been criticised for its lack of strategic clarity and diplomatic finesse, leading to heightened tensions and instability in the region," she added.

A 36-year-old media professional thinks that Modi is a cult leader. "I think he fits the textbook definition of a cult leader. And, given the herd mentality we are witnessing, if he was not a cult leader earlier, he's surely becoming one," she said.

She further said Modi prefers it to be a ‘one-man show'. "It's difficult to pinpoint one incident that makes him an authoritarian ruler, it's the collective events leading up to his Prime Ministership and beyond that indicates he prefers a one-man show," the 36-year-old media professional added.

Despite Modi's promises of economic development and inclusive governance, many argue that his administration has failed to deliver on these fronts, with widening income inequality, agrarian distress, and a growing climate of intolerance and censorship casting a dark shadow over India's democratic institutions.

What experts have to say

Political analyst Abhay Deshpande shared, "Narendra Modi always projects himself as a development leader. But it is development with the saffron face. His basic code is Hindu nationalism. He always projected himself as a Hindu nationalist in several instances."

"This is a majoritarian politics. We always accused Congress of appeasement of the minority, but the BJP is appeasing the majority. And they are doing it very blindly. Taking Hindu nationalism as the core, the BJP is doing majoritarian politics. Whether it be Gyanvapi or Ram Mandir inauguration this shows how BJP is using Hindu nationalism for majoritarian politics," he said.

Deshpande further added that Hindu nationalism is working for the BJP and so is the lack of unity in Opposition. "There is no credible and stable alternative for Modi right now. Now INDIA alliance came together, but we see Mamata Banerjee contesting alone in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi Party fighting alone in Punjab. So there is no united Opposition. Even Congress has doubts about Rahul Gandhi's leadership. Forget about the other INDIA bloc allies. This factor is helping the BJP," Deshpande explained.

The political analyst further said that the BJP has always been known for event and headline management. "They always come up with new issues. Narendra Modi's going to Lakshadweep became international news. But people forgot about the diplomatic tussle between both India and Maldives. Nobody can compete with BJP for event and headline management," he said.

Explaining more about Narendra Modi's authoritarianism, Abhay Mokashi, a senior journalist and media trainer, expressed, "Narendra Modi is the prime minister of India, this is a fact. Whether he's a good Prime Minister or a bad Prime Minister that is a matter of opinion. When you know what is in front of you, you anticipate that trouble or the situation and then react accordingly. On paper, he cannot be said to be authoritarian because then they will say you have freedom, but do we have freedom? Because the moment you speak against Narendra Modi you will be arrested. When people speak against the Prime Minister or his ideology on social media, they are immediately banned. As the Prime Minister, you're also the custodian of the constitution and the rights and of the people and their welfare. The fact that you remain quiet on that means you're part of that authoritarianism. One it comes because of you. The other is in your name, it can be done because people know that they have your backing. The other thing is that it is only the authority who refuse to meet the press."

He further said that Modi doesn't allow his party people to speak against him.

"Forget the public, Modi doesn't allow his party people to speak against him. If they speak, they will be immediately gone out, they will be sidelined or thrown out. That is the biggest certification that Modi is an authoritarian leader," Mokashi said.

Talking about whether the BJP's Hindu agenda will help them in the long run, Mokashi said, "The Hindu agenda, whether it will help the BJP or not, before that I would like to say it is going to cause great damage to the country. What is important is how damaging it would be to the nation it would be highly damaging just to wait and watch. If you don't get the right leadership now, or whichever leadership comes in the next election if it is not mature enough, it cannot bring back the economy on the right track. It is this is all facade what we see now, over the next five to seven years, you will find total derailment of the economy because of this is a facade."

"I am a die-hard optimist. Optimism has also been, you know, I questioned my optimism and how far I had tremendous faith in the youth. Right, that youth has started speaking but the number of youth speaking up is miniscule. They're still glued to the WhatsApp University. Educated people are still spreading the canard that everything is fine. And then ultimately the youth I've seen and especially in the heartland, they don't mind starving to death as long as they can talk of Hinduism and Hindu," he added.

Mokashi further said that Hindu nationalism is damaging our economy.

"It is already damaging because you are trying to keep Muslims out of the economic sphere. This is happening while you say "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", which means we are one family. Economically you are affecting both the communities. Because when India gets affected, whether Hindu or Muslim, it doesn't matter," he said.

Speaking about international threats, Mokashi said, "Look at China, they entered into our territory. But we are still quiet. Nepal has entered our country. We are quiet. Maldives says get out of my country. We leave the country. The bottom line is we can't even fight smaller countries, how can we stand against bigger countries."