Lessons for Sri Lanka from India’s Premier Narendra Modi
Posted on July 28th, 2014

Shenali D Waduge

The expectations from Narendra Modi were many and are many. There is little to doubt that the Congress has done colossal damage to India in more ways than one. Rebuilding, realigning and restoring India on course towards a dynamic future is not easy given that the break up of India is well on track and will not rest until what happened to Yugoslavia will be repeated in Asia. For Indians, the entry of Modi as candidate spelt a lot of hope. It has taken Indians in particular the 80% Hindus long to realize that they had become a virtual minority. Indian media was controlled by non-Hindus, Indian governance was decided by non-Hindus, NGOs working along-side foreign funded faith-based organizations had penetrated deep into the Hindu heartlands, important personalities were in their pockets. The country realized in time that the trend was not looking good. Modi became that change. Even the Indian Diaspora are of the view that India needs to revitalise Indian culture and education system, crippled by mindless borrowing of Western systems. It is a signal that Indians are getting rid of the legacy of the colonial way of understanding Indian culture and that they are rediscovering the strength and richness of their culture.

Modi says animal slaughter will ruin nation”

  • “Slaughter houses are getting subsidies to export meat (and) a poor farmer is now slaying his animals,” 
  • “Instead of focusing on increasing agricultural produce, the government is hellbent on ruining the animal wealth of the nation,”
  • BJP’s promises and plans for India’s cows – “We will build ‘cow hostels’ in cities, ‘cow pension’ will keep farmers from selling old animals to slaughterhouses, a ‘cow protection force’ will be mobilised to rescue cows,”
  • In Gujarat – consumption of both beef and alcohol are banned, and cow slaughter can result in a seven year jail term.
  • The neighbouring Rajasthan state has taken cow protection a step further with its reported plans for India’s first “Ministry for Cows”, while Madhya Pradesh state has set up a cow sanctuary.

Modi’s stand on Hindi

If it is alright to speak in French in France, and Japanese say they speak in Japanese what is wrong when 80% of Hindus in India say they will speak in Hindi?

  • Linguists and scholars now estimate that Hindi is the third most spoken and understood language on the planet after English and Mandarin Chinese and ahead of Spanish. The Government of the United States has designated Hindi a ‘super-critical needs language,’ 
  • China has already introduced Hindi in many of its universities. Hindi is also expected to be one of the five or six languages that will be truly global languages in the rapidly changing world in this century.
  • Circulars issued in May 27, asked all ministries and departments, PSUs and banks to give preference to Hindi while using English/Hindi to operate official accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Google, Youtube, blogs, etc, another circular announced cash prizes of Rs 2,000, Rs 1,600 and Rs 600 for the three persons who do most of their official work in Hindi. 

Implementing Uniform Civil Code

  • “Constitution says that the Government will make efforts to implement the Uniform Civil Code…. 
  • BJP believes that there should be a single law for all Indian citizens irrespective of their religion
  • There cannot be gender equality till such time India adopts a Uniform Civil Code which protects the rights of all women 
  • Article 44, which comprises the Part IV of the Constitution of India, lists UCC as oneof the Directive Principles of State policy which can’t be enforced by any court.
  • At present, different set of rules and laws are in place for different communities as far as the matter concerned with marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption and inheritance. Under Uniform Civil Code, idea is to make one unified set of laws which will comprise of all these personal rules. Every citizens of India have to abide by those ‘unified set of laws’ irrespective of their religion and castes.
  • Cant argue with Modi’s logic – If we are counted as one not as Hindu or Muslims but Indians then why not a single law should govern us all? Everyone should get this message clear that UCC is not to divide by religion, but to unite by nationality.
       

Modi on Ram Sethu

  • to be declared a World Heritage site.
  • Vast thorium deposits make it a strategic site as well

Another example of India removing itself from colonial legacies is its stand to change names of cities:

  • Bombay is now Mumbai
  • Madras is now Chennai
  • Bangalore in now Bengalaru
  • United Provinces became Uttar Pradesh
  • Orissa is now Odisha
  • Assam is now Asom
  • Mysore is Karnataka
  • West Bengal is now Paschim Banga
  • Travancore-Cochin is Kerala

 The BJP victory is also a wake up call to the Opposition in particular the Congress Party.

The Congress cannot expect posters of Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi to win them back to power. The Congress needs to reinvent itself befitting the needs and demands of the people.

Nevertheless, the BJP-Modi victory is a catalyst and major turning point in politics as well as for India’s own destiny. There is little doubt that Modi means business and that business if implemented well will definitely mean good times for India and extended to neighbors as well. Co-joined to this effort is Modi’s nationalism that rightfully demands Indians to put India first. Secularism in Modi’s definition was to place India first. There is also no contention in why the place of Hindus should continue to receive step motherly treatment as well. With 80% Hindus, the place that Hindus were denied right throughout history should be returned.

8 Responses to “Lessons for Sri Lanka from India’s Premier Narendra Modi”

  1. Mr. Bernard Wijeyasingha Says:

    This is an excellent article for making Buddhism a state based faith of Sri Lanka. By doing so Sri Lanka then can pass laws that protect Buddhism, Buddhist values and exclude alien and foreign philosophies and religions. The firs that should go is secularism.

    Sri Lanka reached her golden age when religion and state were one. When it was separated was when Buddhism was almost destroyed more than once. If Sri Lanka is to emerge as a nation with a purpose for progress then emulate Buddhist Japan who has taken the best ideas from other cultures while protecting her Buddhist/Shinto/Samurai culture.

    Japan has achieved that while being a Democracy but Sri Lanka has failed to achieve that same goal using the same model of governance. the reasons that make it work for Japan but not for Sri Lanka maybe many, but one of them is that Japan was far more isolated to the ancient world than Sri Lanka. Japan’s closest neighbor was also Buddhist.
    Sri Lanka was no only known the world around as a port of call but faced a Hindu neighbor who invaded her during her long history. Unlike Japan Sri Lanka has to take that extra step to make Buddhism a state faith in order to emulate the achievements of Japan and avoid the pitfalls of India.

  2. Lorenzo Says:

    Some good moves.

    Gnanasara is the Modi of SL. Modi left his marriage early (within 3 months) to live like a monk. He joined RSS (BBS in SL) and worked for years.

    But will SL voters vote for Panditha Gnanasara or anyone who is defending the interests of the majority?

    SL is going BACKWARDS.

    Kotahena is now Kottan Chennai
    Wellawatte is now Vellawattei
    Dehiwela is now Theiwelei
    Galkissa is now Mount Lavinia
    Wattala is now Wettilai
    Kollupitiya is now Colpiddi
    Bambapitiya is now Bumblepiddi

  3. AnuD Says:

    In Sinhale, when the King Devenam Piya Thissa was reigning, even the flying birds had animal rights in Sri Lanka.

    Now, Sinhala – Buddhists are taken hostage by the minority religions and now, it is culture.

  4. Senevirath Says:

    kalu suddas and henchayyas chased away anagarika dharmapala . laughed and rediculed bhumiputra party and m.e .p and voted for u .n.p. they will never vote for ven gnanasara . stupid

  5. Lorenzo Says:

    Senevirath,

    The tide turned during the war. MILLIONS of anti-SLs (and some pro-SLs) left SL.

    The TRAITOR : NATIONALIST ratio in SL today is BETTER than 50 years ago.

    UNFORTUNATELY we have to learn something from GHANDHI. His non violent movement to chase away the Brits included shittting in the roads so the Brits would not come to their villages to collect tax, abuse people, etc. because of the stench.

    (Obviously SLs are NOT going to COPY that because that will ATTRACT the enemies!!)

    We should CHANGE SL in a way that will make it DISGUSTING for TRAITORS to live in SL. They will leave.

    e.g. Make Sinhala the ONLY official and national language. Tamil and English can remain HOME and BUSINESS languages.
    e.g. Make SL a Buddhist country.
    e.g. Ban racist parties.
    e.g. Restrict NGOs.
    e.g. Resurrect the “LTTE” and hunt down anti-SL moda-rates. This is where MOST traitors hide.
    e.g. Ban BEEF – eating, producing, importing, selling, etc. This will hurt the mosque-itos.

    There are other violent methods which may be used only if these don’t work.

    These things will further DECREASE the TRAITOR : NATIONALIST ratio. That will help elect a PATRIOTIC govt. in the future.

  6. Sampath Says:

    Modi has done well to silence Jayalalitha using Subramaniam Swami

  7. Nanda Says:

    Our king is partying with wrong people. He is spreading Hinduism and HIs-laam.
    He is sitting next to a murderer Duminda who should be in remand until convicted since he shot another friend of the king in daylight , in front of many people.
    He is giving safe heaven to kuddos. Our PM importing drugs.

    On one side are the Tamils
    On the other side are the UNPiers
    On the next side are the Jihadist
    Up are the endless Paga takers
    Down are the underworld

    I feel like Dutugemunu.

  8. Nanda Says:

    ““Ministry for Cows” reminds me of our famous foolish Buddhist cricketer’s “Ministry of Crap”.

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