In April 2015, an Indian farmer publicly committedsuicide in protest of India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi. Although Modi was elected bya landslide in 2014, he remains a controversial figure in India. So, who is Narendra Modi? Well, the 64-year old leader is known forhis charisma, and inspiring speeches. Unlike many of India’s previous Prime Ministers,who came from wealthy backgrounds, Modi was born into poverty in a low caste. He helpedhis father sell tea at train stations, before pursuing his political ambitions with a mastersdegree in political science.
He is affiliated with the RSS, a right-wing volunteer paramilitarygroup, and the conservative, Indian People’s Party. Both of these organizations are closelyaffiliated, and endeavor to preserve Hindu nationalism. In 2001, he became the Chief Minister of theGujarat state of India. He received praise for encouraging outside investments, and morestourism in the area. He also increased Gujarat’s access to clean water and hydro-electric energy,by raising the height of the Narmada Dam .
However, by doing so, he was criticized for displacingthousands of villagers. The most controversial event in his careercame in 2002, during a major religious riot in the state. Starting under uncertain circumstances,the riots left more than a thousand dead, a majority of them Muslim. Modi, a Hindu,was accused of delaying government response to the disaster, and exacerbating the crisis.However, Modi has maintained his innocence, and later, the Supreme Court of India dismissedall charges against him due to lack of evidence. Modi was re-elected 3 times as Chief Ministerof Gujarat, until 2014, when he assumed the position of Indian Prime Minister. Duringhis most recent campaign, he promised to rejuvenate the economy and give India more internationalclout. So far, Modi has succeeded in cracking downon government corruption and red tape. He’s also been a vocal presence in the United Nationsand petitions for more inclusiveness within their Security Council. Foreign policy isone of his strong points, and he’s secured closer economic ties with the US, Australia,and Japan.
Yet despite his humble beginnings, he hasyet to successfully address many lower caste issues such as labor laws, sanitation, andeducation improvements. Additionally, the laws that Modi HAS succeeded in passing, havebeen “small and far between”, according to news sources. But criticism aside, Modi maintains a solidpopularity rating in India. A Gallup poll in 2014 reported that 63% of Indian people“approve in the leadership of their country”. This is up from 2013, when just 30% felt thesame way. As India reaches a new era of global prosperity, Modi may be the leader India needsto instill a positive national outlook for the times ahead. For an interesting look in how Modi is helpingto save a traditional art, check out this video from Seeker Daily. To learn about howpowerful India is, check out the one below. Thanks for watching TestTube, please clickthe subscribe button now, so you don’t miss any upcoming reports!
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