Are PM Modi’s speeches running out of steam?

In recent times, it looks like Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lost touch with the realities which is getting reflected in his speeches.

New Delhi, Oct 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been the "baap" (father) when it comes to the department of communication. From fans, political opponents, journalists to poets, many have eulogised the PM's oratory skills.

Be it his address at public rallies, always fierce and on target launching 'surgical strikes' against his adversaries (often against the Gandhi dynasty) or striking up conversations with his followers on social media, Modi redefined the way political personalities interact with voters much before he became the PM as the chief minister of his home state, Gujarat, as early as 2009.

During 2012, when once again he was choosen as the CM of Gujarat and there were enough indications from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Modi, and not veteran LK Advani, who would be the face of the saffron party during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he and his team adopted a more vigorous campaign on and off social media, constantly interacting with supporters and wooing new fans.

After he became the PM, Modi started his monthly radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, to address the public on various issues. However, of late, the popularity of the radio broadcast has dropped drastically because of its "pale" choice of topics, often avoiding pressing subjects, and the nature of the interaction, as it is only one way communication--where Modi speaks and people listen to and can't raise their concerns.

Nonetheless, people, especially in rural areas, could still be seen sitting together in groups in their homes and public spaces and tuning into radios to listen to Mann ki Baat every month.

As far his public speeches are concerned, be it during election times or on a regular day, Modi continues to speak frequently, but again because of his reluctance to admit the uncomfortable truths troubling the country, most often these days he looks 'lost and fumbling for the right words'.

One such examples is his address at a public meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, recently where the audience got a clear sense that the PM is confused even about his "pet project", Good and Services Tax (GST).

While referring to the GST, Modi decided to subtly admit its failure, but at the same time he blamed all political parties (including the Congress) for the mess it has created.

Isn't it Modi who in a gala midnight event unveiled the latest tax regime while taking credit for the "boldest" economic reform introduced in the post-Independence era? Now, when economic steps like the GST and the demonetisation have failed, Modi decided to pass the buck on others.

Such an attempt to stay away from taking responsibility is something that goes against the "bold and honest PM" image that the BJP has always tried to project Modi as.

Be it the faults in the government's economic policies leading to the slowdown in the growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), mess that highly-published economic steps like the demonetisation and the GST have created, lack of jobs for the youngsters joining the market, or social ills like mob lynching of Muslim men in the name of cow protection by gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes), Modi often tries to skirt what matters the most to the countrymen, probably thinking that eventually people would forget once everything settles down.

Regarding his social media interactions, Modi and his team always remain hyperactive in the virtual world. But again it looks like a very 'happy space', as if everything is picture perfect in the country.

A close study of the PM's Twitter account, @narendramodi--where he frequently posts birthday wishes for world leaders, greetings for Indians on festivals or images of well-organised government functions--reflects that the Modi government is trying to distance itself from the ugly realities like the death of a girl in Jharkhand due to alleged starvation recently.

Probably, that is why PM's support base is dwindling if "retweets" are to be taken into consideration.

After India Today crunched the numbers recently, the English magazine found that @OfficeOfRG (the official Twitter account of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi) got 2,784 retweets in September on an average, as compared to 2,506 for Modi and 1,722 for Arvind Kejriwal.

As far as Rahul's recent rise in popularity on social media is concerned, we are surely going to address that subject too soon. Till then, keep reading.

OneIndia News