India's Divider in Chief : TIME magazine changes tone on PM Modi

New Delhi: As the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls reach their penultimate phase on Sunday, TIME magazine in its May 20, 2019 issue has carried the cover story on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, carrying the controversial title 'India's Divider In Chief'.

The story, written by novelist and journalist Aatish Taseer, asks if the world's largest democracy can "endure another five years of a Modi government."

"Of the great democracies to fall to populism, India was the first," the story proclaims at the onset as it goes on to delve into history starting from India attaining Independence, to the many years of Congress rule starting from Nehru's prime ministership, right up till Modi's ascension to power.

The myriad aspects of Modi's tenure that it makes references to include attacks on minorities by lynch mobs, Modi's record on women's issues, the demonetisation move, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur's candidacy, among others.

The piece opines that Modi's economic miracle has "failed to materialise," and instead "an atmosphere of poisonous religious nationalism" has been created in the country.

Taseer's article notes that "If in 2014 he (Modi) was able to exploit differences in order to create a climate of hope, in 2019 he is asking people to stave off their desperation by living for their differences alone.

"Then he was a messiah, ushering in a future too bright to behold, one part Hindu renaissance, one part South Korea's economic programme.

Now he is merely a politician who has failed to deliver, seeking re-election. Whatever else might be said about the election, hope is off the menu," he says.

The article compares former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's idea of secularism with the prevailing social "stress" under Modi.

It is not the first time when the magazine has come with critical commentary about Modi. In its published article in 2012, the magazine described him as a controversial, ambitious and a shrewd politician.

Notably, in May 2015 too, Modi was featured on the cover of TIME magazine, carrying the title 'Why Modi Matters'. It was accompanied by an interview with the Prime Minister and carried the tagline "The world needs India to step up as a global power.

One year in, can Prime Minister Narendra Modi deliver?" In the past few days, the international media has actively been discussing Modi's prime ministership and his shot at the second term in power in the run-up to the elections.

On April 14, the Wall Street Journal's editorial board had published an opinion piece titled 'Modi's Reform Disappointment'.

Meanwhile, The Economist on May 2 had published a piece titled 'Under Narendra Modi, India's ruling party poses a threat to democracy'.