The word ‘Vishwaguru’ is a name coined by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and mainstream media for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, translating to ‘leader of the world’. The claim is that Modi is one of the biggest pioneers of the modern world who has helped put India on the global map. However, it seems like the image might come apart, as a recent report titled The Modi Mirage says that the Prime Minister’s image may have taken a hit.
The report interviewed people from the United States and the United Kingdom, who have contrasting and worrying things to say about Modi’s India post 2014. In a survey conducted by polling and advisory firm GlobeScan from March 29 to April 8, eighty-nine percent of the people in the United States, the United Kingdom and France think it is important for India to protect human rights and democracy if their countries are to strengthen ties with New Delhi.
There has been a drop in India’s favorability in European countries since 2008. In the listing of the “Most Popular Foreign Politician“, conducted by YouGov, a British Internet-based market research firm, our Prime Minister stands below Russian and Chinese presidents Vladimir Putin (13) and Xi Jinping (20) respectively.
In the United States and United Kingdom, Modi ranks 23 and 26 respectively out of 35 popular foreign political leaders.
Simply put, his image overseas is not as favourable as projected by the BJP and mainstream media in India.
The report tells a different tale of Narendra Modi as a popular foreign leader. Nearly 90% supported human rights as a prerequisite for their country’s industrial and other commercial investments in India. Furthermore, 90% expressed concern about the Indian government’s illegal attempt to assassinate US and Canadian citizens on their home soil.
This year, Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau voiced apprehension in Parliament over the death of 45-year-old Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was shot dead in Canada by masked gunmen. The diplomatic row between the two countries escalated when India strongly denied the allegations that it was involved in the killing.
Three out of four voiced concern over new laws which would make it harder for Muslims to become citizens in India and 84% think it is important for their governments (UK and the US) to advocate human rights in India.
“State machinery is being misused to oppress the opposition, as evidenced by a wave of arrests, Enforcement Directorate raids, and investigations opened against opposition leaders, while BJP own leaders enjoy total impunity. Twitter, X, and Apple have all sounded the alarm at illegitimate government abuse of their platforms. The BJP explains these facts as the result of an international conspiracy, but polling conducted by YouGov for Friends of Democracy shows that 80% of Indians are concerned for the health of their democracy,” the report stated.
The YouGov report also stated that 54% of British Indians do not favour Modi as compared to 35% who saw him as ‘Vishwaguru’.
The report titled “The Modi Mirage” released on May 5, is authored by academics from Groningen University in The Netherlands, and London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies in collaboration with not-for-profit Friends of Democracy.
