Once again the Modi wave has swept the nation, but this time it broke all past records. I believe this election result also broke the narrative that Modi’s BJP is only a party of Hindus and BJP is not accepted by minorities. The BJP, under Modi’s leadership alone, secured 300+ seats, and the BJP also emerged victorious with some Muslim seats. It goes to show that a certain percentage of the Muslim population has also voted for the Modi ruled BJP.
The Karimganj constituency of Assam where 56% of the population is Muslim also witnessed the victory of BJP. Similarly, the BJP won in the Araria constituency of Bihar where the Muslim population is more than 42%. Not much time has passed since a reputed international magazine described Modi as India’s divider-in-chief and claimed that Modi’s victory in 2014 was the outcome of his divisive policies and hate for minorities. But today, when Modi scripted a much more massive victory than 2014 and minorities have played a significant role in his victory, will the same International magazine dare to apologise for what they wrote?
During the last 5 years, a manufactured perception on social media was doing the rounds which involved trolling and criticising Modi. Yes, criticism is good for a healthy democracy but what if the same criticism turns into personal hate for Modi? There was an organised section of people on social media who would relentlessly criticise Modi and never admire him for his good work. These blind criticisms and negativity quickly turned into hate for Modi. I am sure you have seen a few even mocking Modi for not taking care of his mother, mocking his dressing style; even though these are not real issues for the nation.
Yes, maybe Modi lost the battle on social media where people complained that India was not doing well under his leadership. Ultimately, all of these efforts failed as he won the battle on the ground which represents India’s choice. The voters who saw a change in their lives under Modi’s rule are not fools. The poor people who received electricity for the first time in their homes are not fools. The poor who received medical benefits from Ayushaman Bharat, Jan Aushadi stores are also not fools. The women’s who received LPG connections after decades of Independence can’t fall in the trap of negative propaganda.
The youth who for the first time saw the nation’s ratings improve globally didn’t buy into negative and hatred fueled agendas. Construction of roads and toilets, access to electricity, and healthcare, discarding corruption through DBT were some of the positive aspects of Modi’s governance. However, people who criticised Modi on social media failed to acknowledge these achievements.
I believe people no longer vote on the basis of caste, religion, or class. This time, people across the nation voted for development. In my opinion, in 2014, people voted in support of Modi but in 2019 people voted for in support of the work he did in the last 5 years, transforming the lives of people, especially the poor who. The ‘hate Modi brigade’ may or may not like this reality but yes the reality is that voters rejected the hate, negativity, and noise manufactured by them.