Top British weekly Economist accuses Modi of behaving like Gujarat chief minister

By Jag Jivan  
Top British weekly “The Economist” has said it again. In a commentary marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one-year in office, it has said that the alleged improvements in the economy is because of “serendipity” -- because of “oil prices.” Titled “Modi’s rule: India’s one-man band”, it adds, the country has a “golden opportunity to transform itself”. But the way Modi is moving suggests the country “risks missing” the opportunity.
Pointing out that progress under Modi has been “frustratingly slow”, the influential weekly (issue dated May 23) says, this has happened because “Modi has concentrated more power in his own hands than any prime minister in recent memory. The problem is that India needs a transformation—and the task is too much for a one-man band.”
In fact, “The Economist” has castigated Modi exactly for what his critics have long been saying – “he is still thinking like the chief minister of Gujarat, not a national leader on a mission to make India rich and strong.”
“The prime minister believes that only one man is destined to lead India down this path: Narendra Damodardas Modi”, “The Economist” says, adding, on the reforms front “Modi’s record is underwhelming. The past few days have brought the tiniest of baby steps towards privatisation: eight state-run hotels may be sold off.”
Saying that Modi is living in the “delusion” if he thinks that “time is on his side and that big unpopular decisions can wait”, “The Economist” says, already “popular discontent” is brewing. It points to how “surly voters drummed his party out in state elections in Delhi”, adding, already there is a huge dislike” for his attention to diplomacy overseas – he has complete “52 days abroad in 18 countries over the past year.”
Then there are people who are “put off by his narcissism, embarrassed that he met America’s president, Barack Obama, wearing a dark suit with all 22 letters of his name stitched over and over into its golden pinstripe”, “The Economist” says, adding, “As he cracks down on groups like Greenpeace, some complain of his authoritarian streak.”
Pointing out that “national politics is a long way behind the states”, “The Economist” underlines, “Modi cannot blithely assume his power will grow. The prime minister’s office cannot expand to do everything. It is time to relaunch his government by bringing in outside talent.”
Asking Modi to work the way the previous UPA government acted, the weekly says, “Like the previous government, he should get in bright people from the private sector—especially as the BJP is short of capable leaders—to strengthen, say, the finance ministry and the corporate-affairs ministry.”
Wanting Modi to “lead a national campaign to ease the world’s worst labour laws”, the weekly says, “Perverse restrictions on domestic trade in farm produce should go. Private companies could compete to make the railways more efficient. Infrastructure must be built faster, which requires a better law on acquiring land.” And, “state-run banks” should be “ideally private hands”.