who is the current prime minister of india? Narendra Modi
PM list of india: Prime Minister of india list with photo…
- PM list of india. No. 19 – Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi, born on September 17, 1950, is a prominent politician in India. He has been the 14th Prime Minister of the country since May 2014. Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is currently a Member of Parliament (MP) for Varanasi. He is affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is affiliated with the right-wing Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Modi got his early education in Vadnagar, which is in northeastern Gujarat। At eight years of age, he began to participate in the RSS. There are accounts of him helping his father sell tea at Vadnagar railway station in his youth, but these accounts are disputed. Modi entered into marriage with Jashodaben Modi at 18 years of age, but only after four decades, when it was legally necessary, he announced it publicly. He started working full-time with the RSS in Gujarat in 1971. In 1985, he moved to the BJP, where he held various roles within the party until 2001, when he became Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
Modi got his early education in Vadnagar, which is in northeastern Gujarat. At eight years of age, he began to participate in the RSS. There are accounts of him helping his father sell tea at Vadnagar railway station in his youth, but these accounts are disputed. Modi entered into marriage with Jashodaben Modi at 18 years of age, but only after four decades, when it was legally necessary, he announced it publicly. He started working full-time with the RSS in Gujarat in 1971. In 1985, he moved to the BJP, where he held various roles within the party until 2001, when he became Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
Modi led the BJP to a historic parliamentary majority in the 2014 Indian general election, marking a significant political shift in the country. Modi’s administration took a number of controversial policies, including demonetization and the GST, to attract foreign investment. However, his government was also criticized for reducing spending on social welfare programs and strengthening labor and environmental regulations.
Overall, Narendra Modi’s political career has been marked by a mixture of success and controversy, which has significantly changed India’s socio-political environment.
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Modi government began the Balakot airstrike in 2019 against a supposed terrorist training camp in Pakistan. Although the airstrike failed and six Indian personnel were killed by friendly fire, the action had nationalist appeal. Modi’s party won the general election in 2019. In his second term, his administration imposed the Citizenship Amendment Act and revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which is a part of the disputed Kashmir region that is administered by India. These actions led to mass protests and the 2020 Delhi riots, where Hindu mobs, sometimes with the complicity of the Modi government police forces, brutalized and killed Muslims.
Farmers all over the country protested against three controversial farm laws, which finally led to their official repeal. The World Health Organization estimates that 4.7 million Indians died as a result of India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which Modi led.
PM list of india: List of Prime Ministers of India from 1947 to 2024.
Early life and Education of PM Modi:
Narendra Damodardas Modi was born in Vadnagar, Mehsana district, Bombay State (now Gujarat) on September 17, 1950. He was born in a Gujarati Hindu family of the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He was the third child of Damodardas Mulchand Modi (about 1915–1989) and Hiraben Modi (about 1923–2022).
Modi was a child who occasionally helped his father in his tea business at Vadnagar railway station, but there are differences in the story about whether he actually sold tea. His brother Prahlad Modi challenged the story that Narendra Modi worked as a tea seller by saying that their father supported the family through tea sales.
When Modi finished high school in Vadnagar in 1967, he was described by his teachers as an ordinary student who loved debate and theater. His political persona was later molded by his inclination to portray larger-than-life characters on stage.
Modi was introduced to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) when he was eight years old and started attending its local shakhas (training sessions). He met prominent people like Lakshmanrao Inamdar, who later became his political mentor. Modi was still involved with the RSS when he was a teen. He also joined the National Cadet Corps.
Modi married Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi when he was 18 and she was 17, following a traditionally arranged betrothal. Nevertheless, the marriage did not end, and Modi later separated himself from his wife. Modi never formally divorced but kept his marriage private for many years. Only in April 2014 he announced it publicly.
Modi traveled through northern and northeastern India in the late 1960s and early 1970s, visiting Hindu ashrams and seeking spiritual enlightenment. Because he didn’t get any formal education, these experiences had a big impact on his worldview, especially his admiration for Swami Vivekananda, even though these experiences were brief.
In the early 1970s, Modi’s political career began to develop as he actively participated in political movements, such as the Delhi Jana Sangh Satyagraha, which was led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Modi, under the guidance of Inamdar, started full-time activism as a pracharak for the RSS.
Modi went to college through distance learning programs. In 1978, he received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in political science from Delhi University and in 1983, he received a Master of Arts (MA) degree in political science from Gujarat University. But his degrees are still controversial.
PM Modi: Early Political Career:
India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in June 1975, which lasted until 1977. Many political opponents were incarcerated during “the Emergency” and opposition groups were banned. Narendra Modi became general secretary of the “Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti,” a committee under the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) that was responsible for organizing resistance against the Emergency in Gujarat. Subsequently, the RSS was banned, forcing Modi to secretly work in Gujarat. He often disguised as a monk or a Sikh to avoid arrest. His activities included distributing anti-government pamphlets, organizing protests, and establishing safe havens for activists and fugitives. “Sangharsh Ma Gujarat” (In the Struggles of Gujarat) was Modi’s Gujarati book that narrated the emergency period’s events। उस दौर में, he met people like trade unionist George Fernandes.
In 1978, Modi became an RSS regional organizer (sambhag pracharak). वह oversaw operations in Surat and Vadodara. He moved to Delhi in 1979 to work for the RSS, documenting its history during the Emergency. He was assigned to the BJP by the RSS when he returned to Gujarat in 1985. Modi was praised for his strategic planning for the BJP’s victory in the 1987 Ahmedabad municipal election. Under L. K. Advani’s presidency, his association with the BJP strengthened as the RSS prioritized its members’ placements within the party. Modi was appointed as the organizing secretary of the BJP’s Gujarat unit in 1987 after playing a key role in the Ahmedabad election.
Modi’s clout within the party grew over time. In 1990, he joined the BJP’s National Election Committee and helped organize big events like Advani’s Ram Rath Yatra and Murli Manohar Joshi’s Ekta Yatra (Journey for Unity). Because he was in conflict with Gujarat’s BJP MP Shankersinh Vaghela, Modi took a short break from politics in 1992 to build a school in Ahmedabad. But in 1994, Modi restarted his political career at Advani’s urging. He won the BJP in the 1995 state assembly election thanks to his strategic skill. In November of the same year, Modi took over the role of BJP’s national secretary from New Delhi, taking charge of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh’s politics.
Modi’s tactics in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly election in 1998 helped the BJP win a lot. That year, he was promoted to BJP’s general secretary (organisation) in May.
PM Modi Chief Minister of Gujarat : 2001–2014, pm list of india.
Rewrite Content: On February 27, 2002, a train carrying several hundred people burned near Godhra, killing about 60 people. Many Hindu pilgrims returned from Ayodhya, where the Babri Masjid was destroyed, on a train. Modi told the public that local Muslims were responsible for the incident. Next day, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded a general strike across the state. The bandh started riots, and anti-Muslim violence spread through Gujarat. The government’s decision to transfer the bodies of train victims from Godhra to Ahmedabad exacerbated the violence. The state government later said that during the riots 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed.
Independent sources say that more than 2,000 people have died, most of them Muslims। Refugee camps took around 150,000 people. Victims included many women and children; Mass rapes and mutilation of women were among the violence.
Students believe that the Gujarat government was involved in the riots and has been heavily criticized for its handling of the situation; Modi को कुछ विद्वान खुले तौर पर दोष देते हैं। A curfew was imposed in 26 major cities by the Modi government, which also issued shoot-at-sight orders and ordered the army to patrol the streets; these actions didn’t stop the violence from rising. Despite the fact that those actions were illegal at the time, the state unit president of the BJP supported the bandh. riot victims were later prevented from leaving refugee camps, which were often unable to meet the needs of the people living there, by state officials. When the state government announced that their compensation would be half of that of Hindu victims, Muslim victims of the riots were subjected to additional discrimination. After the matter was taken to court, this decision was later changed. Police officers often refused to intervene in situations during the riots. The violence has been referred to as a pogrom by some scholars, while others have referred to it as an example of state terrorism. “There is by now a broad consensus that the Gujarat violence was a form of ethnic cleansing, that in many ways it was premeditated, and that it was carried out with the complicity of the state government and officers of the law,” says Martha Nussbaum.
Modi’s personal involvement in the 2002 incidents is still being discussed. “What is happening is a chain of action and reaction,” he said during the riots. Later in 2002, Modi said his only regret about the episode was how he had handled the media। In March 2008, the Indian Supreme Court reopened several cases related to the riots, including the Gulbarg Society massacre, and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter. In April 2009, Zakia Jafri, the widow of Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre, filed a petition, and the court also asked the SIT to investigate Modi’s complicity in the killings. Modi was questioned by the SIT in March 2010; In May, a report was presented to the court indicating that there was no evidence against him. In July 2011, Raju Ramachandran, who was appointed as the court’s amicus curiae, presented his final report to the court. Ramachandran opposed the SIT’s stance, saying Modi could be charged based on the evidence available. The matter was sent to the magistrate’s court by the Supreme Court। Ramachandran’s report was examined by the SIT, which in March 2012 submitted its final report, recommending the case to be closed। Zakia Jafri ने प्रतिक्रिया में एक याचिका दाखिल की In December 2013, the protest petition was rejected by the magistrate’s court, which accepted the SIT’s finding that there was no evidence against Modi. In 2022, Zakia Jafri filed a petition in which she challenged the SIT’s clean chit for Modi in the riots. The court upheld previous rulings that no evidence was found against him.
2002 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election: PM Modi
“Modi Directly Responsible For Gujarat Riots”
Political leaders within and outside the state called for Modi to step down as PM following the violence. Important politicians, including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders and the Telugu Desam Party, who are members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coalition, joined the opposition parties to demand his resignation. As the issue grew, parliamentary sessions were interrupted. In spite of pressure, Modi offered his resignation at the BJP national executive meeting in Goa in April 2002, but he refused.
Modi insisted on early elections, which were scheduled for December 2002, in spite of the election commissioner’s objections, which emphasized the suffering of displaced voters. The BJP won with 127 seats out of 182 in the Assembly. Modi’s campaign used anti-Muslim rhetoric, exploiting religious division among electorate. He saw criticism of his government’s human rights record as an insult to Gujarati pride, a story that resonated with voters and helped the BJP win by a landslide. On December 22, 2002, Modi was sworn in for a second term after defeating Congress candidate Yatin Oza in Maninagar constituency.
Modi’s second term shifted the government’s focus from Hindutva philosophy to Gujarat’s economic growth. He took steps to reduce the authority of Sangh Parivar groups like the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). Modi responded to BKS’s demonstration of farmers by ordering their eviction from state-provided housing. He decided to destroy 200 illegal temples in Gandhinagar, which worsened his relations with the VHP. Modi kept ties with some Hindu nationalist groups despite these actions. For instance, he wrote a foreword to a 2014 book by Dinanath Batra, which made false claims about ancient Indian technological accomplishments, including the existence of test-tube babies.
Modi’s relationship with Muslims remained a controversy, drawing criticism from a number of parties. Ahead of the 2004 Indian general election, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee distanced himself from Modi by addressing North Indian Muslims. Vajpayee then admitted that it was an error to keep Modi in office post-riots, and attributed the BJP’s electoral setback to the violence in Gujarat. Modi’s association with Muslims gained international attention, as the US State Department denied him entry into the country based on recommendations from its Commission on International Religious Freedom, making him the sole person who has been banned from a US visa under this statute. Similarly, Modi was denied entry by the United Kingdom and the European Union due to his perceived involvement in the Gujarat riots. Nevertheless, in October 2012 and March 2013, the United Kingdom and the European Union lifted their bans as Modi took over Indian politics. The United States lifted its ban and extended an invitation to Washington, D.C. after he was elected prime minister in 2014.
Modi Development projects in Gujarat:
While he was chief minister, Modi advocated for privatization and a smaller government. This was in opposition to the traditional philosophy of the RSS, which is often described as anti-privatization and anti-globalization. His second term’s Gujarat policies were praised for their success in reducing corruption. Under his leadership, the state established financial and technology parks, which stimulated substantial economic expansion. 2007 Vibrant Gujarat summit alone saw ₹6.6 trillion in real estate investments, which would amount to ₹20 trillion or $250 billion in 2023.
Patel and Modi governments strongly supported groundwater conservation projects in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and local communities. These efforts resulted in the construction of 500,000 structures, including 113,738 check dams, by December 2008. Gujarat now becomes India’s top producer of genetically modified cotton. By 2010, 60 of the 112 tehsils that were affected by 2004’s water tables had restored their normal groundwater levels.
Gujarat’s agricultural sector grew at an average rate of 9.6% from 2001 to 2007. This was due to an increase in cotton production and efficient land use in semi-arid areas. However, public irrigation projects, like the Sardar Sarovar Dam, faced difficulties because it irrigated only a small part of the intended area.
After Tata Motors faced opposition in West Bengal in 2008, Modi invited them to build a Nano car factory in Gujarat. This drew other companies to the state.
Modi government completed Gujarat’s electrification process, which significantly changed the power distribution system, particularly with regard to farmers. The Jyotigram Yojana program has grown by separating agricultural electricity from other rural sources and adjusting it according to scheduled irrigation demands, which has effectively cut costs. Farmers’ initial protests diminished as those benefiting from stabilized electricity supply calmed down. However, an assessment study found that the policy disproportionately favored large-scale and corporations over smaller farmers and laborers.
There is a fierce debate over Gujarat’s economic progress during Modi’s prime ministership. The state’s GDP grew at a strong 10% rate, which was higher than the national average and comparable to advanced nations. Gujarat exhibited significant economic growth in the 1990s even before Modi’s leadership, though some academics say that growth continued during his tenure. Modi’s policies were lauded; for two years in a row, Gujarat took first place in the World Bank’s “ease of doing business” rankings among Indian states. Among the country’s 20 largest states, Gujarat was ranked first for “economic freedom” in a 2013 report that evaluated governance, growth, citizens’ rights, and business regulations. The state became an attractive investment destination due to tax incentives and easier land acquisition processes. Gujarat’s relaxed labor laws and special economic zones boosted its appeal to investors.
Nevertheless, Gujarat faced significant social issues despite remarkable economic advancements. Poverty alleviation, nutrition, and education among human development indicators gave a less favorable picture. In 2013, the state ranked 21st in education and 13th in poverty among Indian states. On the Indian State Hunger Index, Gujarat was placed in the “alarming” category due to its high child malnutrition and undernourishment rates. Reports showed that Modi’s administration had failed to vaccinate children.
Gujarat was in the national median among Indian states from 2001 to 2011 in terms of poverty and female literacy. The state’s position in terms of individual consumption declined, even though there were minor improvements in infant mortality rates. Government schools, especially those in marginalized communities, had difficulty in meeting other state education standards. Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis’ needs are often ignored by social policies, which worsens social disparities.
Development in Gujarat mostly benefited the middle class in cities, leaving rural and lower caste communities out of the picture. In 2013, the state ranked 10th out of 21 Indian states on the Human Development Index, which shows that there are persistent problems. Also, during Modi’s tenure, the state government’s expenditure on education and healthcare fell below the national average.
Gujarat under Modi’s leadership achieved significant economic growth and attracted investments through policies, but it also faced persistent social inequality and human development issues, highlighting the complex nature of its development trajectory under his leadership.
Modi: 2014 Indian general election–
Bharatiya Janata Party campaign in general elections 2014
Narendra Modi was chosen as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Prime Minister nominee in September 2013 before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Some BJP leaders, including LK Advani, were in opposition to this decision. Advani expressed his concern over leaders’ preference for personal agendas. Modi had already played a significant role in the BJP’s 2009 general election campaign, and his candidacy, deviating from the usual emphasis on party ideology, took center stage.
During his campaign, Modi focused on highlighting the corruption scandals that occurred under the previous Congress government and emphasized his record of driving Gujarat’s high GDP growth. Without getting deep into specific policies, he presented himself as a promoter of “development,” a message that particularly appealed to youth and middle-class people. Under Modi’s leadership, the BJP has succeeded in alleviating concerns about secularism and the protection of religious minorities.
Although Modi’s 2002 Gujarat riots had shaped his media image, the BJP changed the story during the campaign to focus on Modi’s neoliberal ideology and the Gujarat development model’s perceived success. The party also joined forces with those who publicly opposed Hindu nationalism in an effort to expand its base. However, Hindutva elements were still present in campaign rhetoric, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh and North India, where communal tensions were exploited for political gain.
The BJP’s strong media influence and financial support from corporate donors strengthened the BJP’s election plan, allowing Modi’s high-profile campaign blitz, which included over 1,000 rallies and cutting edge social media and hologram technology.
The BJP won the election by a landslide, getting 31 percent of the popular vote and getting 282 seats in the Lok Sabha, which was the first single-party majority since 1984. This success was caused by support from groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and widespread dissatisfaction with the Congress party and North Indian regional parties. In particular, the BJP exhibited a strong presence in areas affected by Hindu-Muslim violence, indicating a shift in the right direction.
Modi himself ran and won from Varanasi and Vadodara, two Lok Sabha constituencies, defeating prominent rivals like Aam Aadmi Party member Arvind Kejriwal and Congress party member Madhusudan Mistry. Following his unanimous election as the leader of the BJP, Modi was subsequently appointed Prime Minister of India by the President. He relinquished the Vadodara seat, which he had won by a significant margin, in order to comply with electoral laws.
PM Modi. 2019 Indian General Election campaign
The 17th Lok Sabha was formed by the members elected in the 2019 Indian general election. Elections.
Modi was chosen as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s prime minister nominee in the 2019 general election by Amit Shah, who led the campaign. Modi launched the “Main Bhi Chowkidar” (“I too am a watchman”) campaign in response to the INC’s “Chowkidar Chor Hai” slogan. In 2018, the Telugu Desam Party left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) due to the campaign for Andhra Pradesh’s special status.
April 8, 2019 marked the start of Amit Shah’s BJP election drive. Modi’s campaign focused on defense and national security particularly following the Pulwama attack and subsequent Balakot airstrike while the opposition criticized him for alleged corruption in the Rafale deal with France. During his initial term, development and promoting positive diplomatic relations were other campaign themes.
Modi contested the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi and won with a significant margin of 479,505 votes, defeating Samajwadi Party (SP) member Shalini Yadav, who represented the SP-BSP coalition. Following the National Democratic Alliance’s victory in the election, which gave the BJP only 303 seats in the Lok Sabha, Modi was unanimously reappointed as prime minister for a second term.
PM Modi 2024 Indian General Election campaign
General elections are being held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024 in seven phases, to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha.
On May 26, 2014, Narendra Modi took office as the Indian Prime Minister (PM) following the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s landslide victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Post-independence from the British Empire in 1947, he became the first Indian Prime Minister, and his ascension was a historic event. Modi’s second term began in 2019 after the NDA won another Lok Sabha election. He had become India’s fourth longest-serving prime minister by December 6, 2020, and also the longest-serving non-Congress prime minister.
Modi’s initial tenure saw a notable centralization of power. Modi further consolidated his power by passing ordinances to implement his policies when he faced a lack of majority in the Indian Parliament’s upper house, the Rajya Sabha. Notably, his government passed laws that increased its influence over judicial appointments while reducing the judiciary’s autonomy. Furthermore, Modi dismantled the Planning Commission in December 2014 and established the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) in its place. This concentrated planning power within PM’s office। Since the 1990 economic liberalization, the Planning Commission had remained a significant governmental body.
Modi’s government began investigating various civil society organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGO) during his early administration on the pretext of slowing economic progress. These investigations were widely accused of being witch hunts. Targeted groups included Medecins Sans Frontières, Sierra Club, and Avaaz. In addition, those who opposed the government were subjected to charges of sedition and terrorism. Such actions caused division in the BJP, which was compared to the governance style of Indira Gandhi.
Also, during Modi’s tenure, significant legislative initiatives were made, including the repeal of 1,200 outdated laws within the first three years, surpassing the combined efforts of previous administrations over 64 years. Digital India program was launched with the intention of digitizing government services, improving rural internet infrastructure, strengthening domestic electronic manufacturing, and encouraging digital literacy.
2019, a law was passed to reserve ten percent of government jobs and admissions for economically disadvantaged people. Also, by 2019, Ujjwala scheme, which was launched in 2016, increased rural households’ accessibility of LPG by 24%. However, in 2022, the government stopped LPG subsidies for all citizens except Ujjwala program beneficiaries.
Manipur ethnic tensions have escalated since May 2023, leading to violent clashes and many deaths. Modi’s response to the unrest, or its lack thereof, has been criticized for its perceived inadequacy.
PM Modi Further information: Hindutva
Following Modi’s appointment as Prime Minister, a number of Hindu nationalist groups expanded their operations, often with unconscious government support. These included initiatives like Hindu religious conversion drives, campaigns against the alleged “Love Jihad” phenomenon, and efforts by certain factions, such as the Hindu Mahasabha, to glorify Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin. Notably, these conversion programs were supported by government officials, including the Home Minister.
Modi’s leadership strengthened BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ties. Individuals with RSS affiliations were appointed to important government positions, and the RSS provided organizational support to the BJP’s electoral campaigns. For instance, Yellapragada Sudershan Rao, who was once associated with the RSS, took over the chairmanship of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) in 2014. Nevertheless, historians and former ICHR members were skeptical about this move and thought it was part of a cultural nationalist agenda. According to scholars like Nandini Sundar and Kiran Bhatty, other RSS members were appointed to leadership roles in educational and research institutions during Modi’s early term, often without the necessary qualifications.
Additionally, the Modi administration changed history books, minimizing the contributions of people like Jawaharlal Nehru while emphasizing Modi’s role and presenting Indian society as cohesive, free of conflict and inequality.
Modi government passed a citizenship law in 2019, which allowed persecuted religious minorities from neighboring countries to gain citizenship, specifically banning Muslims. This move was the first time religion was used as a criterion for Indian citizenship, leading to global condemnation and massive protests, which were later disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Delhi riots of 2020 were the culmination of these protests, where Muslims were primarily targeted by Hindu mobs, killing many.
Modi’s visit to Ayodhya in 2020, following a Supreme Court decision to give a Hindu temple a disputed plot of land and provide an alternative plot for a mosque, highlighted his support for Hindu nationalist sentiments. He was the first Prime Minister to visit Ram Janmabhoomi and Hanuman Garhi.
When he came back to power in 2019, Modi fulfilled the RSS’s three persistent demands: illegalizing Triple Talaq, removing Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status, and reorganizing the area into union territories. Following this move, there were lockdowns, internet shutdowns, and mass detentions, which were criticized for alleged violations of civil liberties.
As noted by Bhatty and Sundar, the Supreme Court avoided constitutional challenges to these actions. These concerns demonstrate the BJP’s perceived influence within important institutions. Modi’s 2024 election campaign rhetoric, which ridicules Muslims as potential threats to the nation’s growth, further reflects his government’s Hindu nationalist stance.
PM Modi G20 Presidency in Delhi. Defence, Environment,
India hosted the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023, which marked a historic occasion when the African Union was accepted as a permanent member of the G20. In an interview conducted on August 26, 2023, Prime Minister Modi expressed his hope for the developing agenda of the G20 under India’s presidency. He emphasized a shift toward a human-centric approach to development, addressing issues shared by the Global South, such as climate change, debt restructuring under the G20’s Common Framework for Debt, and global crypto-currency regulation.
In the run-up to the G20 summit, CNN, Reuters, and the Washington Post reported on the actions taken by Indian authorities. Marginalized residents were displaced as a result of the Archaeological Survey of India’s massive demolition campaign targeting slum areas and homeless shelters across New Delhi. But the Indian government refuted these claims through its press agency, Press Information Bureau. They said the demolitions were done in accordance with orders from the Indian Supreme Court and had nothing to do with the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023.
Defence:
India’s nominal military spending increased significantly under Modi’s leadership. However, the military budget declined in terms of GDP and inflation adjusted over his tenure. A significant portion of this budget was allocated to personnel expenses, leading commentators to express concerns about its effect on Indian military modernization initiatives.
During his election campaign, Modi promised to take a firm stand on Pakistan, calling it a hub of terrorism. On September 29, 2016, the Modi administration announced a surgical strike by the Indian Army on alleged terror launch pads in Azad Kashmir. was a significant event. Pakistan denied surgical strikes, but Indian media reported heavy casualties among terrorists and Pakistani soldiers. Later evaluations suggested that India may have overestimated the magnitude and impact of the strike. Although these strikes were criticized for not hitting any significant targets, India did airstrikes in February 2019 against a supposed terrorist camp in Pakistan.
This resulted in additional military engagements, which included cross-border shelling and regrettable Indian aircraft damage. Eight months later, it became known that this incident had resulted in six deaths of Indian military personnel as a result of friendly fire.
In May 2020, tension increased when Chinese and Indian troops engaged in aggressive skirmishes along the Sino-Indian border, especially in places like Pangong Lake in Ladakh, the Tibet Autonomous Region, and the border between Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region. Throughout the year, the fighting continued, leading to various solutions from both sides, including diplomatic and military dialogue in order to reach peace. The first border clash of 2021 was reported on January 20, and was described as a minor incident in Sikkim. Modi was criticized because he seemed to have been silent about the reported 2,000 square kilometers of land ceding to China since June 2020.
In December 2021, Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached an important agreement that extended military and technical cooperation between the two countries. This included acquiring the S-400 missile system, strengthening India’s defense capabilities, and strengthening its relations with Russia. India kept a neutral position regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Instead, the Indian government started Operation Ganga to evacuate stranded Indians from Ukraine. Over 19,000 people, some from neighboring countries, were repatriated.
Environment:
When Modi formed his cabinet, he decided to rename the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the “Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change,” while significantly cutting the amount of money that was allocated to it in the beginning budget of his administration. Reorganization included easing or diluting a number of environmental protection laws and regulations related to industrial operations. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of India stopped these efforts to remove NGO representatives from the National Board for Wildlife. Additional changes included reducing small-scale mining projects under ministerial supervision and removing the requirement of tribal council approval for projects located within forested areas. Modi also lifted a ban on new industrial ventures in India’s most contaminated regions.
At first, Modi took a dismissive view of climate change when he talked to Assamese students in 2014, saying that the climate remained unchanged and that human actions caused environmental degradation. Nevertheless, as his tenure went on, he began advocating for climate action, particularly focusing on expanding clean energy initiatives. He submitted a proposal to the International Solar Alliance in 2015 to encourage investment in solar power. Modi and his administration insisted that India had minimal historical responsibility for climate change, calling developed nations responsible. Modi made a promise at the COP26 conference that India would pursue carbon neutrality by 2070 and strengthen its renewable energy capacity.
Indian environmentalists and economists praised this commitment as a big step toward combating climate change, and it has placed India as the only economy on course to comply with Paris Agreement. India even got ethanol blending of 10% five months ahead of schedule.
India’s democratic institutions have regressed under Modi’s leadership. According to a study, the BJP-led government systematically undermined processes designed to hold political leaders accountable, either by co-opting them into subservience or by appointing party-loyalists. The government has used state power to suppress dissent in the media and academia, eroding freedom of expression, and limiting access to alternative information sources. Modi’s government has been criticized for exploiting its electoral mandate to undermine democratic principles and prioritizing Hindu nationalist agendas over economic progress. Civil liberties and press freedom have notably declined during Modi’s second term as PM.
FAQ’s –Questions Ans. GK PM Modi:
- Who is Narendra Modi?
- Answer: Narendra Modi is the 14th Prime Minister of India, serving since May 2014.
- What political party is Narendra Modi affiliated with?
- Answer: Narendra Modi is affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- Prior to becoming Prime Minister, what position did Narendra Modi hold in Gujarat?
- Answer: Narendra Modi served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.
- Which organization is Narendra Modi associated with from a young age?
- Answer: Narendra Modi has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since the age of eight.
- What controversial policies did Modi’s administration implement to attract foreign investment?
- Answer: Modi’s administration implemented demonetization and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to attract foreign investment.
- What criticism has Modi’s government faced regarding social welfare programs?
- Answer: Modi’s government has been criticized for reducing spending on social welfare programs.
- What is one significant achievement of Modi’s administration mentioned in the article?
- Answer: Modi’s administration achieved a historic parliamentary majority in the 2014 Indian general election.
- What is the legal status of Narendra Modi’s marriage?
- Answer: Narendra Modi entered into marriage with Jashodaben Modi at the age of 18, but he only publicly acknowledged it four decades later when it became legally necessary.
- How did Modi’s government handle environmental regulations according to the article?
- Answer: Modi’s government was criticized for reducing spending on environmental regulations and weakening them.
- What has been the overall impact of Narendra Modi’s political career on India’s socio-political environment?
- Answer: Narendra Modi’s political career has been marked by a mixture of success and controversy, significantly changing India’s socio-political environment.
- Where and when was Narendra Modi born?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was born in Vadnagar, Mehsana district, Bombay State (now Gujarat) on September 17, 1950.
- What was Narendra Modi’s family background?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was born into a Gujarati Hindu family belonging to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He was the third child of Damodardas Mulchand Modi and Hiraben Modi.
- What was Modi’s involvement in his father’s tea business?
- Answer: Modi occasionally helped his father in his tea business at Vadnagar railway station during his childhood, though there are discrepancies regarding whether he actually sold tea.
- How was Narendra Modi described by his teachers in high school?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was described as an ordinary student who loved debate and theater by his teachers in high school.
- When was Narendra Modi introduced to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was introduced to the RSS at the age of eight and started attending its local shakhas (training sessions).
- Who was Narendra Modi’s political mentor?
- Answer: Lakshmanrao Inamdar, who later became his political mentor.
- When did Narendra Modi marry Jashodaben Modi?
- Answer: Narendra Modi married Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi when he was 18 and she was 17, following a traditionally arranged betrothal.
- How did Narendra Modi’s educational background shape his worldview?
- Answer: Narendra Modi’s lack of formal education and his experiences visiting Hindu ashrams and seeking spiritual enlightenment in northern and northeastern India had a significant impact on his worldview.
- When did Narendra Modi’s political career begin to develop?
- Answer: Narendra Modi’s political career began to develop in the early 1970s as he actively participated in political movements such as the Delhi Jana Sangh Satyagraha, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- What degrees did Narendra Modi obtain and how have they been received?
- Answer: Narendra Modi obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in political science from Delhi University in 1978 and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in political science from Gujarat University in 1983. However, the legitimacy of his degrees remains controversial.
- When did Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declare a state of emergency in India, and how long did it last?
- Answer: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in June 1975, which lasted until 1977.
- What role did Narendra Modi play during the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi?
- Answer: Narendra Modi became the general secretary of the “Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti,” a committee under the RSS responsible for organizing resistance against the Emergency in Gujarat. He engaged in various activities such as distributing anti-government pamphlets, organizing protests, and establishing safe havens for activists and fugitives.
- How did Narendra Modi avoid arrest during the Emergency?
- Answer: Narendra Modi often disguised himself as a monk or a Sikh to avoid arrest during the Emergency period.
- When did Narendra Modi become an RSS regional organizer, and which areas did he oversee?
- Answer: Narendra Modi became an RSS regional organizer in 1978 and oversaw operations in Surat and Vadodara.
- Where did Narendra Modi move in 1979, and what was his role there?
- Answer: Narendra Modi moved to Delhi in 1979 to work for the RSS, where he documented its history during the Emergency.
- When was Narendra Modi assigned to the BJP by the RSS, and what was his role within the party?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was assigned to the BJP by the RSS in 1985. He played a key role in the BJP’s victory in the 1987 Ahmedabad municipal election and was appointed as the organizing secretary of the BJP’s Gujarat unit in 1987.
- In which year did Narendra Modi join the BJP’s National Election Committee, and what significant events did he help organize?
- Answer: Narendra Modi joined the BJP’s National Election Committee in 1990 and helped organize events such as L. K. Advani’s Ram Rath Yatra and Murli Manohar Joshi’s Ekta Yatra (Journey for Unity).
- Why did Narendra Modi take a break from politics in 1992?
- Answer: Narendra Modi took a short break from politics in 1992 to build a school in Ahmedabad due to conflicts with Gujarat’s BJP MP Shankersinh Vaghela.
- Who urged Narendra Modi to restart his political career in 1994?
- Answer: L. K. Advani urged Narendra Modi to restart his political career in 1994.
- When was Narendra Modi promoted to the position of BJP’s general secretary (organisation), and what event preceded this promotion?
- Answer: Narendra Modi was promoted to the position of BJP’s general secretary (organisation) in May 1998. This promotion followed the success of his tactics in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly election in 1998, where the BJP won significantly.
- When did the tragic incident involving a burning train occur near Godhra?
- Answer: The incident occurred on February 27, 2002.
- What was the reason for the train carrying Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya?
- Answer: The train was returning from Ayodhya, where the Babri Masjid had been demolished.
- Who publicly blamed local Muslims for the Godhra incident?
- Answer: Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, publicly blamed local Muslims for the incident.
- What organization called for a statewide general strike following the Godhra incident?
- Answer: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a statewide general strike.
- How many people were reported killed during the riots, according to official figures?
- Answer: Official figures reported 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus killed during the riots.
- What was the approximate death toll, according to independent sources?
- Answer: Independent sources suggest that the death toll, predominantly comprising Muslims, exceeded 2,000.
- What accusations did the Gujarat government, led by Narendra Modi, face regarding its handling of the situation?
- Answer: The government faced accusations of complicity in the riots and discriminatory treatment of Muslim riot victims.
- What term has been used by scholars to describe the events of 2002?
- Answer: Scholars have described the events as a pogrom and an example of state terrorism.
- What investigative body was appointed by the Indian Supreme Court to probe the riots?
- Answer: The Supreme Court appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter.
- What was the outcome of the investigations regarding Narendra Modi’s alleged involvement in the riots?
- Answer: No conclusive evidence implicating Modi was found, and subsequent court rulings upheld the findings that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him for his alleged involvement in the riots.
- What sparked calls for Narendra Modi to step down as Prime Minister in 2002?
- Answer: Calls for Modi to step down arose following the violence in Gujarat in 2002.
- Which political parties joined the opposition in demanding Modi’s resignation?
- Answer: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Telugu Desam Party, among others, demanded Modi’s resignation.
- When did Narendra Modi offer his resignation, and why was it refused?
- Answer: Modi offered his resignation at the BJP national executive meeting in Goa in April 2002, but it was refused.
- Despite objections, when were early elections held in Gujarat, and what was the outcome?
- Answer: Early elections were held in December 2002, and the BJP won decisively with 127 out of 182 seats in the Assembly.
- How did Narendra Modi’s campaign utilize religious divisions among voters?
- Answer: Modi’s campaign utilized anti-Muslim rhetoric, exploiting religious divisions among voters.
- What shift in focus did Modi bring during his second term as Chief Minister of Gujarat?
- Answer: Modi shifted the government’s focus from Hindutva ideology to Gujarat’s economic development.
- What actions strained Modi’s relationship with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)?
- Answer: Modi’s decision to demolish 200 illegal temples in Gandhinagar strained his relationship with the VHP.
- Why did Narendra Modi face controversy regarding his relationship with Muslims?
- Answer: Modi faced controversy regarding his relationship with Muslims due to his handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots.
- Why were Narendra Modi initially banned from entry into the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union?
- Answer: Modi was initially banned due to allegations of his involvement in the Gujarat riots.
- When were these bans lifted, and what invitation did Modi receive after becoming Prime Minister in 2014?
- Answer: The bans were lifted as Modi rose in Indian politics, with the United States even extending an invitation to Washington, D.C. after his election as Prime Minister in 2014.