Sometime on Sunday, one of the thousands of Muslims who came to greet Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi asked him to put on a white skull cap. Modi politely and firmly refused; and instructed his workers to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
This about a minute-long episode is the embodiment of the three-day stage show of Sadbhavana Mission by the Gujarat government. Muslims are now a part of his ‘Gujarat’ but held at arm’s length. The Sadbhavana Mission’s stated mission of positioning Modi as the leader of choice for all communities, including victimised peoples of the 2002 riots, might be a success.
“This jamboree of three-day fast was masterminded by three different ‘image consultant’ agencies hired by Modi. The aim — not just a Hindutva posterboy but an all inclusive leader,” a source said.
The other mission of projecting himself as a leader with national clout within the BJP also came a success. Parliamentarians LK Advani and Arun Jaitley were the first off the block, at the inauguration itself, to congratulate him, but hours before the fast was to end, Sushma Swaraj and Venkaiah Naidu too made an appearance, much to Modi’s relief. This, with a sprinkle of glamour in the form of Hema Malini, Paresh Rawal and Navjot Singh Sidhu, the circle of BJP’s who’s who was almost complete.
Leaders from allies like Akali Dal, Shiv Sena and new-found buddy MNS’s Raj Thackeray posed gaily for the shutterbugs.
