Thread by @KumudShankar

There is a Tavleen Singh column in Indian Express ‘Developing country dreams’. It could have very well been titled, ‘the subtle Modi-chalisa’. The article seems to come across as a weighed one balancing out Modi’s achievements with his failures. 1/n

The article starts off with Modi’s dream that is soon turned in to THE Indian dream of a developed India superstate. Tavleen then goes on to mention about the ’91 crisis & Rao-MMS partnership that ushered in LPG. If the credit is due to them Ms. Singh, how is it Modi’s dream? 2/n

It is not a politician’s dream, it is the Indian dream, beginning with the middle-class that came into prominence once liberalisation took off. Not Modi’s dream ma’am. For most of us a story is as good as the h/l & the 1st para. That is where the Modi-deification happens & 3/n

an experienced journalist like Tavleen knows where to add her message & where to hide it.
It's an article that establishes a Modi dream – taking credit away from personal ambition & attributing it to One Man. Growing up in Delhi in the mid 90’s, I had not heard of Modi, but 4/n

I saw Bollywood NRI's, I saw Sheila Dixit’s flyovers, Delhi metro, the ship building in Gurgaon & I too dreamt of an Indian superstate. Sorry, no Modi there ma’am. Operation Pokhran, under late A.B Vajpayee was a massive roar that made global headlines. Someone said Modi? 5/n

I-N-D-I-A-N Dream! PM Modi may wish to appropriate as he has attempted with Bhagat Singh, Dr. Ambedkar & Sardar Patel but at best it will be an appropriation.
Coming back to the later part of the article, Ms. Singh mentions about Modi’s dream….being just what they’re, 6/n

a lot of gas in atmosphere. Basically the man with an opinion & a big mouth. No vision, no action there. Her words are gentler, since it is a praise article, but read between the lines. It is all there. I believe every Gujarati & Punjabi would know what is good in US of A 7/n

Ms. Singh further shields the PM by pointing that lack of development (Modi’s dream) is due to apathy of the CMs. They’re mostly the saffron-wallahs but how much can Modi do. It’s not all that ‘Mumkin with Modi’. This is dangerous. The govt runs on collective responsibility 8/n

BJP claims to have ‘double-engine ki sarkar’ & yet the press is quick in pushing non-performance to the various side-kicks of Modi. Modi, he is ’shudh shakahari’. This is alarming news for everyone else in the BJP.
At last, Tavleen Singh points guns at Rahul Gandhi. Obvious? 9/n

Though her shots are way-off target. Hitting out at socialist principles in an era of unemployment, job losses, inflation & fuel price hikes is a rather lame attack.
Here’s the link: indianexpress.com/article/opinio…
Please do read in full – because once you understand the content 10/n

you'll realise how shallow it is. Better luck next time Ms. Singh. A few of us had the Indian dream, before Mr. Modi had sent his 1st email. It was ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’ by late Rajiv Gandhi. His son is walking on that road with #BharatJodoYatra. You’re welcome to join India! 11/11