This refers to T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan's column "Prime Minister Modi ban gaya gentleman?" (Line and Length, March 7). In order to make himself acceptable to the nobility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi can't opt for an anuloma marriage with it, as he claims to be belonging to a lower middle class. His option for a morganatic alliance will not do the trick either since he will not be treated as an equal partner.
However, Modi's immediate priority should be to accustom the bloated bureaucracy, perched on Raisina Hill, to his working style. In order to avoid being jacked around, he needs to know his onions well. Modi must have the ability to see through its little game at every stage and cut it down to size, as and when needed.
It will also be useful for Modi to know that since the Indian bureaucracy has feet of clay, it cannot hold its ground for a long time. First, it tries to stand up to its political masters. But when it faces resistance, it has no hesitation to suck up to them.
But the best guarantee for ensuring his success as prime minister is Modi's own credibility. For this, he must address people's problems urgently. But given the nature of their problems, Modi needs to be a hard taskmaster instead of a gentleman.
Tarsem Singh Hoshiarpur
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