Narendra Modi: The 'Tapa'poorti of a 'Shrimant'Yogi

The Sage on the Throne: Modi's Twelve-Year Culmination

On September 17th of this year, the Prime Minister of the nation and the paramount leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Damodardas Modi, completes his 75th year. In another eight months, on May 22, 2026, he will complete twelve years in the office of Prime Minister. In our nation’s ancient tradition, a period of twelve years is known as a —a cycle of intense ascetic devotion—and it holds a profound significance unlike any other measure of time. Over the course of this , Prime Minister Modi has made numerous decisions that have propelled the nation forward. Yet, a peculiar duality defines his legacy : his critics never tire of their censure, and his admirers never tire of their praise. In the public consciousness, he is a figure who commands either adulation or antipathy, and our society stands divided in these two camps.

The Nature of the Opposition

Since taking the reins of the country, Mr Modi has been subjected to vitriol unmatched by any of his predecessors. Critics often allege that the entire Indian media is under his spell, sold out to his agenda. These critiques are frequently built upon foregone conclusions, with disparate points connected like mathematical steps to arrive at a predetermined answer. On social media, the language used against him descends to a level of coarseness that defies description. The supreme irony in this is that the very tool used for this onslaught—the affordable mobile data that fuels social media—is a direct consequence of policies enacted by Mr Modi. People forget that the cost of using two or four gigabytes of data for an entire month once exceeded the cost of using two gigabytes

now. In the era of Rajiv Gandhi, telephone services were revolutionised by STD/PCO booths. In Modi’s era, banking and all modes of communication have been placed literally at our fingertips. He has taken this telecommunications revolution and, competing at an international level, delivered it to the inhabitants of the humblest slums. One may hold any number of disagreements about his tenure or his schemes, but the ease and affordability with which he has made these services available command admiration. Despite the constant accusations, a sober assessment of his long tenure would struggle to prove that Mr Modi has engaged in the politics of vengeance. One can find numerous examples of such politics under Indira Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, or even Manmohan Singh’s decade in power. But in Modi’s twelve years, one would be hard-pressed to find even a dozen instances where he acted out of personal animus or used the state machinery to settle scores. Many who found themselves ensnared by the law were caught due to their own past misdeeds. How can Modi be held responsible when their own actions led them to prison? Yet, the opposition relentlessly claims that he uses the ED, CBI, and Income Tax department—dubbed ‘ICE’ by one MP—to neutralise his rivals. The reality is that the colossal mistakes of their past have paved their path to prison. The irrationality of this opposition is stark. Before the 2019 elections, Prakash Paranjape, a former judge and a trustee of the Rashtra Seva Dal, posted on social media that Modi should be "buried," later clarifying that he meant a "political burial." That a man of his stature—a former justice—could speak with such recklessness demonstrates how the mere mention of Modi’s name causes many to lose their composure. An entire ecosystem of organisations, parties, and leaders operates on the premise that they can achieve their goals by hurling ceaseless invectives at him. Mr. Modi, for his part, often ignores them entirely. Having masterfully used social media in his 2014 campaign, he has gracefully stepped back from the medium now that it has become rampant and debased. Instead, he chose the classic medium of radio, All India Radio, to connect with the common citizen through

(A Talk from the Heart), speaking not as a politician, but as the head of a national family. This unique style of connection, coupled with innovative campaigns like placing his appeals on billboards at every petrol pump in the nation, allowed him to establish a direct rapport with the people, a feat his predecessors had never managed with such simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

A Leadership Forged without Legacy

To evaluate Mr. Modi’s leadership, one must compare him to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter, Indira Gandhi. We exclude Mahatma Gandhi from this comparison because his work, though globally recognised, was in the pre-independence era, with the singular goal of freedom galvanising the masses. Modi was born after independence, in 1950. His leadership was forged entirely in the post-independence crucible. Nehru had the legacy of the freedom struggle, and Indira Gandhi had the immense advantage of being "Pandit Nehru’s daughter." Modi had no such political inheritance. He was born into a common family from a caste that holds little sway in the arithmetic of Indian politics. His journey began as a worker in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), from where he moved to the BJP, rising through the ranks. In 2001, he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, having never been a Member of the Legislative Assembly. In 2014, he became the Prime Minister of India, having never before been a Member of Parliament. This trajectory is a testament to the distinctiveness of his leadership. Twice, in 2014 and 2019, he led his party to near-absolute majorities, a feat previously achieved only by Nehru and Indira. In a nation as diverse as India, to become a personality whose appeal transcends region, language, and caste is no small task, yet Modi accomplished it with ease. He did so not with gimmicks or false promises of "bringing down the moon from the sky," but by establishing himself as a national leader. He studiously avoided the politics of appeasement, never stoking linguistic chauvinism or caste-based reservations for political gain.

A Global Statesman with an Indian Soul

In 2014, though he had the numbers to form a purely BJP cabinet, he honoured the spirit of coalition dharma, giving significant posts to his allies. He began his tenure with the mantra of

(Together with All, Development for All). This leader, who has faced both immense popularity and visceral hatred, now stands as a preeminent global figure. The same America that once denied him a visa saw its own president invite him to campaign on his behalf. The name ‘Narendra Modi’ resonates on the world stage, a result of meticulous strategy and planned hard work. In his first five years, he made a series of audacious decisions. While opinions on them remain divided, their benefit to the nation is undeniable. The primary obstacle to their implementation has been India’s ponderous and powerful bureaucracy. This bureaucracy, which had a cosy relationship with Congress, was a front Modi had to fight on, even as he managed political change. His Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), though mocked initially, proved its worth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the heightened awareness of sanitation helped curb the spread of the disease. Through the Jan Dhan Yojana, he ensured that government benefits reached the poorest of the poor directly into their bank accounts, without any leakage. To say everything is perfect under Modi would be a claim even he would not make. But to say that no change has occurred would be a gross injustice. His foreign policy has compelled the world to take India seriously. His appointment of S. Jaishankar, a man once perceived to be close to the Congress, as External Affairs Minister, demonstrated his ability to look beyond partisan lines for talent. He has acted as a mature and sagacious political leader, giving his party’s leaders freedom while firmly rejecting the unreasonable demands of allies, even at the cost of power in a state like Maharashtra in 2019. The era of compromise politics, born of necessity during the Vajpayee-Advani years, has been decisively ended. Along with Amit Shah, he has systematically fulfilled the BJP's decades-old manifesto promises: the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, the ban on Triple Talaq, and the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The Wealthy Yogi and a Nation Reimagined

One of the criticisms levelled against Mr. Modi is his over-reliance on the bureaucracy, a model that was successful in Gujarat but has shown flaws at the national level. The most glaring example is demonetization. It was a historically bold move, but its execution was crippled by systemic inefficiencies, causing immense hardship for the common citizen. The bureaucracy was responsible, but Modi was cast as the villain. Yet, his government’s small, revolutionary acts often go unnoticed. He introduced a system of self-attestation, where a citizen’s own signature is enough to certify their documents. After decades of independence, this was a government that chose to trust its own people. He ended the chronic shortage of urea for farmers and presided over an explosion in transport infrastructure. He resolved the complex issue of ‘One Rank, One Pension’ for the armed forces and brought transparency and public participation to the Padma awards, honouring unsung heroes from across the nation. His focus on solar energy is unprecedented, and by building the world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, he proved that tourism can be a significant source of national income. In every endeavour, the principle has been ‘India First.’ After a Supreme Court verdict, he facilitated the construction of the Ram Mandir, for which the Hindu community owes him its gratitude. With this act, he answered a centuries-old question: should our ideal be the invader Babur, or Lord Rama? His personal conduct, though his attire may seem opulent to some, reflects not attachment but a strategic use of tools for image-building. Like water that does not cling to a lotus leaf, these material things do not bind him. These are the signs of a ‘Wealthy Yogi’—rich in purpose, but detached in spirit.

The Great Political Realignment

Modi’s ascension has fundamentally altered the Indian political landscape. Before 2014, politics was defined as Congress versus anti-Congress. This anti-Congress space was occupied by a motley crew of socialists, communists, and regional parties. After 2019, this middle ground has vanished. Politics is now bipolar: the BJP and its allies on one side, and on the other, a grand coalition of regional satraps, communist parties, and various ideologues, all united under the Congress umbrella. Their old opposition to the Congress has dissolved, replaced by a visceral, unyielding opposition to the BJP. This political division has seeped into the very fabric of society, splitting families and friendships into Modi supporters and Modi opponents. The old image of an RSS worker as a well-meaning, honest man has been replaced by a deep-seated animosity. The political violence once reserved for states like Kerala, where Hindutva workers were targeted, has now become a more widespread sentiment. The reason is simple: the BJP, and by extension, a confident Hindu ideology, now occupies the centre of India’s power structure. This unapologetic assertion of identity is unbearable for the old feudal mindset of the Congress and its allies. The social ‘untouchability’ once practised against the BJP is no longer possible, and this loss of power has driven the old guard into a state of frenzied rage, spewing venom from the streets to the capital. For sixty years after independence, our history books glorified invaders. This distortion has finally been corrected, much to the chagrin of many. A massive section of society, long relegated to the margins as the "have-nots," has now moved to the centre. This has naturally caused great unease. The last twelve years have been a testament to Modi's

and his success. They have also been a testament to the discontent of other social factions. In the Puranas, when a great king or sage would undertake a deep penance on Earth, Indra, the king of the gods, would grow insecure, fearing that the sage would attain his throne. He would then create chaos to disrupt the penance. Over the last twelve years, we have witnessed countless lesser versions of this drama. Thousands of little Indras, inhabiting the various factions of the anti-Modi camp, have been creating turmoil. This is the new conflict that defines our times.

- Vinayak Limaye

(This article is the translated version of the original article

नरेंद्र

मोदी

 : श्रीमंत ‌‘योग्या‌’ची तपपूर्ती

 written by

Vinayak Limaye

published in the Sahitya Chaprak Diwali Ank 2025 ) https://youtu.be/xANyL1xoMPI