Not our here-and-now Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. His critics – and he has them in the legions, like Nehru has them in the millions ever since Modi became PM – say Modi is trying so very hard to ape Nehru that the only thing left is for children to run after his cavalcade screaming ‘Chacha Modi-Chacha Modi.’ So far that depiction/description of Narendra Modi has not struck any child and that should keep Chacha Nehru smiling up in heaven!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved a landmark, so to speak, the other day. A hallmark, actually. He was chosen ‘Most Popular Leader’ on the planet by people scattered on all continents. People who chose him over other prime ministers, and presidents. But what is it that makes Modi popular worldwide? That’s a mystery.

Of course, thanks to Covid-19, Modi’s hugging days are finito. And it’s very unlikely that Rahul Gandhi will give him a hug like he did once in Parliament. The two – “Pappu” and “Feku” as Social Media has made them famous – aren’t best of Parlia-pals anymore. Not after Rahul winked and Modi discovered he was too old to return the compliment! If ‘Lalu’ was in the aisles, maybe there would have been a diversion.

But aren’t we digressing? It’s about poets and poetry that we were talking of. To be dot on mark, about politician-poets. More precisely Prime Minister-poets. Nehru did not try his hand at poetry. But Modi rhymed in a couple of times. Writing poetry and reading aloud. The first thought that would come to mind is: “O! No. Not another election, please!”

But no, it’s a new ‘New Year’ and the next election is in mid-2021, in West Bengal, where Amit Shah and not Modi should be politician-poet though the Massive Man has so far, thankfully, not stooped, or stopped, to conquer with poetry. Modi took a hand, in a ringing tone to boot. The poem, which he wrote himself, spoke of ‘soorajughing’, and with other words exhorted Indians to rise like the “rising sun.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who some say is an aspiring ‘Statesman’, and India’s undisputed leader these days, in his poem hailed India’s achievements in a galaxy of fields including in space technology. He hailed the valour of the armed forces, the indefatigable courage of doctors and healthcare professionals at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19. And, quite like the politician, this poet did not forget to visualize our beloved farmers!

By the time, Modi finished ‘Abhi Toh Sooraj Ugha Hai’ most Indians must have had their heads high though it’s hard to imagine if anybody other than Mr. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his/her head in Cloud 9! That is a little tough to picture. It’s tough to believe that even after 72 years after Independence only ‘Abhi Toh Sooraj Ugha Hai!’

Did the sun not rise in 1947 when Nehru had his tryst with destiny? Did it not rise with Lal Bahadur Shastri? Did it not rise when Indira Gandhi took her place under the rising sun? Did it not shine when Rajiv Gandhi take charge after the big tree fell? How about after VP Singh and everybody else after him? Did it not rise with Atal Bihari Vajpayee? Did it not rise after Manmohan Singh take over the reins not once but twice? Above all, did the 'Soooraj' not 'Ugha' in May of 2019? Or, in April of 2019 when Modi won his second term?

It is six years since Modi saw his first sunrise as PM to the utter surprise and disgust of half the population of India. This was one ‘Sooraj’ half-plus-more people of India did not want to see rise, but rise it did. Decades ago, Jawaharlal Nehru had become the first Prime Minister of India and he was liked by all and sundry. Nehru’s popularity was countrywide.

But then, that day of the “tryst with Destiny”, the country had just then become independent and there wasn’t much of an Opposition around to hate Nehru’s guts. Modi can, however, take comfort in that, the times they have a changed. Politics these days is poisonously toxic and it is a dog eats dog political environment. If a “puppy” comes under the wheel, then brother don’t blame the poet and his poetry.

But, then, whoever thought there was a poet hidden within Modi? Not Amit Shah? Surely not Nirmala Sitharaman! Or the rest of Modi’s cowed kowtowing Cabinet. How about Modi’s mother, did she know her son had a ‘Kavi’ in him? It’s something to know to break a coconut for. It’s something to wonder about over a cup of tea…Chai! Preferably made by revered respected Chaiwalla Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his sage-like beard bobbing in anticipation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s poem is tribute to India’s galaxy of achievements including in space and missile technology. Modi hails the valour of our defence forces and the indefatigable spirit of our healthcare professionals who are battling the Covid-19 pandemic. Abhi Toh Suraj Ugha Hai is about everybody who is holding a candle for India’s development and defence.

That said, the fact of the matter is, there are millions, nay crores, of Indians, who would rather that Narendra Modi had blossomed as a poet when he was a young boy of 10 growing up at Vadnagar in Mehsana, Gujarat. For them, if only his mother had discovered the poet in “little Narendra” then, he wouldn’t have sold tea at the Vadnagar Railway Station and one day become Prime Minister!

And, on New Year Eve, we wouldn’t have had to listen to Narendra Modi read out to us Aasman Mei Sar Uthakar / Ghane Baadlon Ko Cheerkar / Roshni Ka Sankalp Le / Abhi Toh Sooraj Ugha Hai…The question troubling the hoi polloi is whether 2021 will be a year of “latifas” or fast-and-furious development? Let’s see the sun rise on that! (IPA Service)