It was, for the Americans, a crucial day; they waited with bated breath. Modi who?
It is always US first and US last. As for Modi, he was to an average American: Modi who?
Kumkum Chadha
It was, for the Americans, a crucial day; they waited with bated breath.
There was apprehension whether Donald Trump will become laughing stock yet again or emerge a man befitting the office of the President of one of the most powerful countries of the world; whether he will shed off the image of a shrill campaigner, a sexist and one who is a butt of many jokes.
Back home in India, Trumps address was one that politically-savvy Indians watched with interest. Policy makers, in turn, assessed the possible impact of US foreign policy on India.
For all else, it was simply watching a man speak and compare his sloppiness with the dignity of the suave Barrack Obama: an all-time favourite with Indians.
The Obama couple, often the first lady Michelle and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia stole hearts: not only of Americans but also Indians. As against this, Trump was projected as a man who had little to do with gender sensitivities. If anything, he was seen as one who was several notches below from being an ideal father and or husband.
One thing that clearly went against and deep were the remarks that Trump reportedly made about his 16-year old daughter Ivanka. He made inappropriate comments about his daughters body, to say the least. He called her voluptuous and said that if she werent his daughter he would be dating her.
To the Asian psyche, parents relationship with children is considered sacred, particularly that a father shares with daughters. That the ground reality is different is another matter but for public perception daughters are meant to be revered.
Therefore, outrageous statements on her physical attributes are nothing short of sacrilege.
To a highly religious society that Indian Hindus belong to, Trumps comments were damaging to his image as a human being and a father. To an average Indian, this was more important than Trumps track-record as President. Even if he does well in office, the crass human being that he came across is something that is unlikely to be forgotten or forgiven.
In this context, there is a comparison with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his personal life. Modi, it is well known, has no personal life to write home about.
Though married, Modi and his wife live separately.
Modi abandoned her soon after marriage. He went from strength to strength while his wife lived a life in oblivion. Therefore, Modis years in power be it as Chief Minister of Gujarat or Prime Minister of India have been without any family so to say. He has never spoken on marriage.
As against this Trump has, in the past, referred to nagging wives: When a man Trump is reported to have said, has to endure a woman who is not supportive and complains constantly about his not being home enough or not being attentive enough, he will not be very successful unless he is able to cut the cord. Modi, even while cutting the chord, has maintained a studied silence over the strained relationship with his wife.
The only personal bond Modi has often spoken about is with his mother whose mug shots have been flashed whenever it was considered politically viable.
To suggest that Modi has used his mother for political gain may be harsh but the fact remains that she always emerged at the right moment and the right place.
For instance, to drive home the point about Modis humble beginnings and not extending the benefits of being Prime Minister to his family, snapshots of his mother taking an auto rickshaw to vote during an election went viral. Modis mother lives in his home state in Gujarat in a modest house and his wife is a teacher.
That notwithstanding, Modi has been politically correct when it has come to women and the girl child. In fact, his save the girl child campaign went down very well and negated his anti-women stance that he has often been accused of. But this is less about Modi and more his growing up under the RSS mould. As an organization, RSS has kept women in the background and let men lead.
Indians who listened in to Trump that night, felt that he struck a chord, similar to Modis, when the Indian Prime Minister first spoke.
Except Trump addressed a joint session of the Congress and through it the American people while Modi spoke from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
It was in 2014 that Modi delivered his first ever major address on Indias Independence Day: within months of his taking over. Trump spoke within 40 days of being in power.
Both excelled and forced their critics to concede that a lot has changed since the vilified election campaign. Then, Modi and Trump broke rules and breached the basic decency norm. They thought nothing of hitting below the belt.
Post victory, Modi and Trump emerged statesmen-like and sounded inspirational. They had shifted focus from opponents to the country and its people. Therefore, when Trump spoke in the joint Congress apart from making valid points that endeared him to the American people, he silenced his critics.
Ditto Modi, some two years ago. Like Trump, he was clear in his vision about the country the people had chosen him to lead and the direction he was steering it to. If Trump spoke about America first Modi did too, about India.
The language may be different but the tone and tenor was nationalist, constructive and conciliatory. It was about seeking cooperation even from opponents.
If Modi had reached out as Prime Minister to those he had slammed as a candidate, Trump did too, as President of the United States of America.
Both spoke about making their respective nations strong; both spoke about the need to be inspired; and both asked their respective people to move on: a straight offer to lay down battles of the past and embrace renewal.
While choosing different words, Modi said almost the same thing in his 2014 address from the Red Fort.
Despite attempting to extend an olive branch, both Trump and Modi come across as, both, divisive and decisive. Each is either loved or hated.
There is no middle road. Those who love Trump or Modi are blind in their devotion and those who hate, completely unforgiving.
If Trumps pitch is anti-immigration and America for Americans first, Modi takes every opportunity to be pro-Hindu and hammer that Indias ownership is the right of the majority community of Hindus.
Trump does it at the cost of his popularity and Modi risks being labelled a fanatic. In the process both come across as decisive and convinced to carry out what they are professing.
In one sense, they are unrelenting and determined to do what it takes to add action to words. In Modis case, he has taken strong decisions and pushed daring reforms. Trump within days of his taking over made it clear that Americas doors are closed to countries that encourage terror. Read Muslims. Like Modi, Trump is aggressive on change.
Therefore, Indians who heard and watched Trump speak the other night did so less for America and more for India. For one there has been a great deal of interest in the American election.
Candidates notwithstanding, it was a Trump versus Obama election. Therefore, Hillary Clinton, an Obama-nominee got default-support, as it were.
Trump, in any case, was a misfit: falling terribly short of the dignity Obama had given to the office of the President.
Politically, the US and India had forged a relationship that Indians felt was likely to get reversed under Trump: something they would not want.
Therefore, while Indians debated the nitty gritty of Trumps address and flagged their US obsession, Americans had little use for such a debate. To them it started and ended with Trump. It was US first and US last. As for Modi, he was to an average American: Modi who?
The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])
