Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a noble gesture by discouraging anyone from touching the feet — whether his or of other senior leaders of the party. In doing so, he took a dig at the Congress. He has also advised the newly-appointed MPs belonging to the ruling party to stay humble and work hard. Modi has ordered the MPs to spend as much time as possible in their constituencies and not waste their time in Delhi when Parliament is not in session.
Modi had said that it pains him if someone touches his feet. The idea, according to the BJP, is to end the culture of sycophancy that has been a part of Indian politics for decades. In his 20-minute address, Modi, who is also the BJP leader, reminded his partymen that they are no longer in the Opposition, and, as elected representatives of the ruling party, they need to remain grounded and be alert at all times.
Modi’s speech centred around what the party lawmakers should do, in light of the fact that the new Lok Sabha has the maximum number of first-time MPs, including Modi himself. He asked the party MPs to attend Parliament sessions regularly and be well-prepared to participate in debates. It remains to be seen whether the BJP MPs will pay heed to Modi’s advice or follow in the footsteps of the outgoing members.
K.A. Solaman, Kerala
The Telegraph, Calcutta published on 10-6-14
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