In May’14 I was getting ready for my first voting experience. I didn’t know much about the polling system and was flabbergasted at the complexity of the mechanism. More so, it was a feeling of awe of being an adult. I went inside the poll booth to vote. There were two machines and around 13 options were there. I didn’t recognize any of the party symbol rather than the quotidian ones.
But there I saw it, an image of a motionless lotus which looked up at me and without any pondering I pressed it.
It was something so astonishing about this person that made me vote for him pronto.
Narendra Modi was denied visa almost one and half decades ago and there he was standing amongst, or rather a level higher than the top bureaucrats and diplomats of United States of America. The encomiums bestowed upon our very leader were tremendous, with 66 claps and 9 standing ovations. Mr. Narendra Modi truly embarked upon a new journey with many plaudits that he has received. The cadence and tonality were quite praiseworthy, rarely seen in an Indian politician. Modi spoke with candor in his gujju accent, without any requirement of written notes. This surely would have made even cynics to think twice before bombarding him with their self-motivated criticism.
His speech covered every aspect of modern Indian achievements as well as challenges. From Science and Technology to bilateral trade, from the success of Indian Americans to the problem of terrorism, everyone was charmed by confident as well as jocular Modi. His speech put up a temporary end to the soporific speeches we Indians normally come across.
He spoke about the bravery of the soldiers of both the nations. He thanked the US for being with us at our times of sorrow when Mumbai was terrorized. He mentioned our friendship with Afghans which was made possible partially by US peacemaking interventions. His stand against terrorism was commendable, making the world aware of the happenings at our western and northern borders with absolute clarity yet not pointing at the neighbors directly. The world should know the surreptitious behavior of our two adjacent nations whether at the snow covered borders or in the vast trenches of the ocean. His speech did the same.
He also boosted the morale of Indian Americans working there as CEO’s of various startups or multinational companies, engineers, doctors, scholars, professors and even Spelling Bee champs.
It was also an important speech considering the fact that India is trying to be a member of elite NSG group, in which America’s nod is of immense importance. We don’t know whether his address made it easier or not, but a gesture from our side was necessary, especially after a denial from China. He in his speech not at once showed signs that India is subjugated or we are beneath them, but he portrayed India as being on the same level.
And for his belligerent opponents and anyone who made robust comments that he sold out India, with all due respect, come on People! It’s not his India or just BJP’s India, its everyone’s India and we all are a part of it. Let us celebrate this moment with gusto.
Leave all the sardonicism, high-pitched debates, the usual flapdoodle and anti-Modi slogans just for a day and congratulate him by giving a standing ovation ourselves. It is not even that tough. The US Congress did it, can you?
Well, I just did.
