Haunted: Ghosts of past won't leave Modi alone and in peace

For Narendra Modi it was a grand exercise to bury the demons of the past and signal a change of heart. Unfortunately, the past has an obstinate, cumbersome quality about it; it does not render itself to an easy burial. The Gujarat chief minister might have ended up reviving the very demons he wanted to bury during his three-day fast. After the initial media-driven brouhaha, the odds against Modi appear to be exactly where they were earlier. Not many are buying his ‘peace, harmony and brotherhood’ story. Not many in the political circles, barring some in the BJP, are excited about his possible leap to the national stage. The Janata Dal (United), a crucial NDA ally, has already pooh-poohed his prime ministerial ambition. Moreover, his overture to the Muslim community has not gone down well with the Sangh Parivar. If the fast was designed to be a media event around Modi, it has succeeded. It has brought attention to him, made him a subject of national curiosity. But his unabashed self-glorification as the harbinger of Gujarat’s ‘golden age’ might have gone a bit too far. His dynamism and competence at governance is perfectly acceptable but not the arrogance and over-confidence which surfaced in ample measure in his speeches. Other states might not take too kindly to being shown in poor light, though unintendedly. Expect some tough questions from the states in the coming days. [caption id=“attachment_86992” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“There are too many ifs and buts in Modi’s (2L) case. He might turn a new leaf at the personal level by shedding his earlier image but the past – the happenings during 2002 riots and its ideological source — would be difficult to sweep under the carpet. PTI”] [/caption] The 2002 post-Godhra riot victims are yet to forget and forgive. While they have been conspicuous by their absence at the fast venue, the presence of two prominent accused in the Gulbarg Society and Naroda Gam massacre cases among others has created some confusion around the message Modi wants to convey through his Sadbhavna Mission. If he wanted to abandon his what some would call his communally tainted past, it should have started with the victims of the riots, with a healing touch. There’s nothing beyond lip-service from Modi here – there’s no clear promise beyond that vague ‘I will ensure justice for all’. The fractures and creases remain where they were. So what has Modi really achieved? It might be too early to tag his effort a failure since it is just the beginning of a long process. But the developments so far reveal that image makeover is not an easy exercise, particularly for a person who evokes extreme views and has a polarising potential. Interestingly, the real problem for Modi is not the Muslims. He could still extend a qualified apology, initiate positive moves to assuage feelings and win back some trust. In any case, Muslim vote is not what is going to hand him a big electoral victory in Gujarat. His goodwill initiatives would only help him get acceptable to a national audience. The real challenge for him is the Sangh Parivar. The RSS and to a larger extent the more aggressive Hindutva outfits such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal would find his pro-Muslim moves a departure from ideology they hold so dear. It might even be termed betrayal of the Hindu cause. Modi owes his image, popularity and electoral victories to this segment. He would it extremely difficult to turn his back on it. He might end up antagonising the very bunch of people who made him what he is. Again, he has to clear himself of the court cases related to the riots. By all indications, it is going to be a lengthy process before he comes out clean. The BJP would be counting this too while contemplating to projecting him as its prime ministerial candidate. He cannot afford to get bogged down by the cases while focusing fully on the national job. There are too many ifs and buts in Modi’s case. He might turn a new leaf at the personal level by shedding his earlier image but the past – the happenings during 2002 riots and its ideological source — would be difficult to sweep under the carpet. There is no soft way around it. He has to face the challenge head on. His go-getting ways and no-nonsense approach to issues could help him find a way out.