Different News

It has been interesting to read the news of the Indian election in the western media given the contrast to what I hear from friends and family in India. This Washpost story came close to the views of my relatives in Kolkata

By delivering Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party a clear majority of its own, Indians have shown a preference for strong, decisive, alpha-male leadership unencumbered by pressure from smaller political forces. And what may have begun as culture clashes between Indian conservatives and liberals has been decisively settled on the political battlefield with a clear win for the right wing.

I grew up in India when BJP had just started to make political ripples. When I think back, their appeal was in being direct about their intent and having the courage to do what is risky and potentially unpopular with large parts of their potential vote bank. This was very different from what Indians had seen from political parties until then. The merits of their ideology was a topic of conversation only among the liberal elite who presumed to have foresight to see where this would lead the country. The rest were just glad to see something "real".

"Real" for many means unvarnished and unsophisticated. They don't want to be fooled by pretty words that were dressed up for political occasion. What was not clear us as kids back in the day in India that uncouth is style too - it takes a lot of effort to come across "real" and strike the right chords with the electorate. We are fooled as kids and seems like adults are no less gullible then or now, in India or around the world.