Influential. Devoted. Powerful. Passionate. Innovative.
These words highlighted the newly inaugurated politician Narendra Modi, as he first took office in 2014. Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India and the leader of the BJP Party. His strong and confident aura has the ability to attract and inspire a massive number of people. The leader’s paradigms and ideas are groundbreaking and revolutionary which elicits astonishment, respect, and inspiration out of many of his colleagues and followers. But why was the leader of India recognized as a two-time winner of Time magazine’s Person of the Year? As one of the 100 most influential people in the world? As the Indian of the year? What is it that makes this Indian politician prevail over others and take the Indian elections by a landslide?
Modi charged through the 2014 elections on with two major platforms: anti-corruption and environmental reform. Corruption was a high priority on Modi’s to do list when he first took office. He believed that corruption is the bad apple that rots all the other apples in the basket. The constant fight against corruption was tedious and unfruitful, therefore, the Modi administration took drastic measures in an attempt to eradicate the extreme corruption and black money market in India. Modi’s decision left everyone shook.
Overnight, PM Modi made the executive decision to discontinue all the old 500 rupee and 1000 rupee bills and introduce a new 500 rupee and 2000 rupee bill in its place. There were no leaked stories of this decision; the news swept the whole nation off its feet. Some were applauding Modi for his bravery to go to such extents and his determination to cleanse India of corruption. Others ranted about the injustice that the nation had to face due to Modi’s impulsive decision, to which Modi’s supporters rebutted, “you have nothing to worry about if you have done nothing wrong”. Modi gave the people of India until the end of the year from the day the decision was made to swap the old 1000 and 500 rupees, but you could only proceed with the swap if you could state where the source of income was from and have the government tax the exchange. In order to respond to the nation’s outcry due to the inconvenience PM Modi states, “Brothers and sisters, in spite of all these efforts, there may be temporary hardships to be faced by honest citizens. Experience tells us that ordinary citizens are always ready to make the sacrifices and face difficulties for the benefit of the nation.”[1] The method is disruptive, inconvenient, and problematic for the Indian citizens, but in the larger scope, it is what the country has been yearning for ever since the dictatorship of corruption ruled the country. Creativity takes courage, it needs initiative, it has spontaneity, it elicits chaos and inspiration, and it makes a difference.
[1] Hyperlink: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/business/india-bans-largest-currency-bills-for-now-n-bid-to-cut-corruption.html?mcubz=0
I agree with your assertion that creativity takes courage. One may ask whether this courage is something that comes from within or is cultivated by the "field". Personally, I believe this courage to push boundaries is inherent as a trait of personality, but must be grown by the field. I can imagine Modi showed this courage to be creative before the decision to swap currency; and time will only tell the further boundaries he will push.
ReplyDelete