Wrong to Mock Modi’s Teleprompter Gaffe
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s teleprompter gaffe at the World Economic Forum where Modi seemingly struggled to deliver his speech after the teleprompter stopped working is being trolled on social media. These trolls contend that the Prime Minister cannot make a speech without looking at the teleprompter, which according to them is a weakness, and are using this incident to attack Modi. When the repeated blunders that Modi has made so far are before us, how right is it to project the teleprompter gaffe as a major problem and thereby the country’s failure? Adopting the Sangh Parivar’s strategy of repeating a lie till it becomes the truth would be akin to looking away from the real issues. Public discourse should be about presenting the real issues that the country is facing, not mocking at the Prime Minister’s colour, language, or his eloquence or lack of it.
First, the veracity of the fact that Modi stopped his speech midway due to the glitch in the teleprompter needs to be examined. Initially, when the Prime Minister was struggling for words people, assumed that the teleprompter stopped working and several websites were quick to share the videos. But the reality was something different. Modi had apparently stopped speaking not because of the teleprompter but because the event organizers had asked him to stop as the audience was unable to hear him that caused him to stutter a bit. But the initial misconception spread like wildfire in social media. True, if an incident like this had occurred when Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, Sangh Parivar’s karyakarthas and trolls would have celebrated it. Even if we were to assume that Modi stammered due to the teleprompter’s malfunctioning, then the criticism should be directed against the quality of the teleprompter and the irresponsibility of the organizers, not against the Prime Minister.
Moreover, the question is whether it is absolutely necessary that a Prime Minister must be eloquent. These days, it appears that the more eloquent a leader is, the more dangerous it is to the country. Prime Minister Modi is an example. Good speakers mesmerize people through their words. The country has rarely found good, eloquent speakers who are also seasoned politicians. Of these, Jawaharlal Nehru stands out. With his words and programmes, Nehru contributed immensely not only to the country but also to the Third World. At the same time, although Manmohan Singh was not a great orator, the entire world respected his words as he is one of the tallest economists in the world. Prime Minister Modi has so far entertained people through his speeches but Modi’s bhakths are coming to know where the country has reached today. That Modi cannot deliver a speech without a teleprompter is not the issue at all. What needs to be discussed is whether, regardless of the presence of the teleprompter, his speeches have a vision. In the entire teleprompter fiasco, the lies that Modi delivered at the World Economic Forum about the state of the country were not discussed at all.
More than the appropriateness of a Prime Minister using a teleprompter, the compulsory use of a teleprompter by someone occupying a top position such as the Prime Minister’s office must be emphasised. Speaking from such a responsible position, it is important to ensure that words are used carefully as otherwise, words that are misunderstood or misconstrued could lead to dangerous situations. It is therefore important that the Prime Minister is well aware of what he is talking about, and he uses the help of different media to read his speeches. This is a good time to note that Modi’s blind followers are responsible for pushing him to this situation. They projected Modi’s speeches as the greatest gifts for the country instead of focusing on his administration. The behaviour of his followers is also responsible for the discussions around the teleprompter. It is high time Modi bhakths who are always focusing on the ‘positive energies’ in his speeches realize that the Prime Minister’s job is not only to deliver speeches but also to take the country on the path of development and start critiquing Modi’s administration.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Assam Rifles' report pins blame for Manipur situation on BJP CM Biren Singh
New Delhi: New insights regarding the Manipur conflict have surfaced from an assessment conducted by Assam Rifles officials in the state.
The blame for much of the situation was directed towards Modi's "political authoritarianism and ambition," as well as the state government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who supports the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Assam Rifles, a paramilitary group under the federal government, has a contentious past. It is the oldest paramilitary force in the nation alongside the army and is responsible for maintaining law and order in the northeastern region.
The assessment, presented in a PowerPoint presentation in late 2023, was reviewed by The Reporters' Collective (TRC), though the officers who shared it chose to remain anonymous.
This marks the first public release of a report by a government body.
This development gains significance as Modi recently stated, just ahead of the upcoming general election, that the federal government's prompt actions had led to a "significant improvement" in the Manipur situation. The prime minister addressed the conflict briefly, marking one of the rare occasions he did so. Meanwhile, the Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah has expressed confidence in the chief minister's role as a mediator, despite his lack of success in this regard. The state's two parliamentary constituencies are scheduled to vote in the initial phases of the national elections on April 19 and April 26.
The Kuki political and armed leadership is pushing for the separation of Kukiland as a distinct administrative region from Manipur, intensifying the ethnic conflict and sparking renewed calls for Kukiland during the ongoing unrest.
Moreover, the presentation highlighted that armed factions from the Kuki tribe were backing "volunteers," while militant groups from the Meitei community were supplying weapons to individuals. These developments have escalated tensions and impeded efforts by community leaders to frame the conflict as ordinary people defending themselves against the opposing community.
As per TRC's investigation, the Assam Rifles organization did not endorse the views expressed in the presentation.
However, Al Jazeera has independently examined the presentation and confirmed its authenticity.
The root cause of the violence is often attributed to the Meitei community's push for Scheduled Tribe status, which entails affirmative action benefits like government job quotas and college admissions. However, this move is rejected by other tribal groups, notably the Kuki-Zo community.
Nevertheless, Assam Rifles representatives referenced the chief minister's policies in their presentation, which they believed exacerbated tensions between the groups. Singh's firm stance on combating the drug trade and addressing social media dissent were cited as contributing factors to the conflict, among other issues.
The presentation accused Singh of fostering discord among the communities through the state's efforts to curb drug production, trade, and sale in Manipur. His staunch opposition to poppy cultivation, particularly in the high-altitude areas bordering Myanmar, reinforced the perception that Kukis were being targeted.
The presentation also highlighted the "dismantling of the law-and-order apparatus" and the "implicit backing" of the violence by state forces.
It pointed to "Meitei Revivalism" as another factor fueling the violence. This term refers to the Meitei community's longstanding aspiration to reclaim its pre-Hindu identity, predating the introduction of Hinduism in the 18th century and Manipur's integration into India in 1949. This movement spurred armed resistance and revitalized Sanamahism in the 1930s.
Two Meitei organizations, Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol, were identified in the presentation as instigators of the violence.
According to police sources, Arambai Tenggol was established in 2020 "under the guidance of the titular king of Manipur and BJP Member of Parliament Leishemba Sanajaoba."
Meitei Leepun, another recently formed group, is believed to be influenced by the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the umbrella organization for various radical Hindu groups, including the BJP. The leader of Meitei Leepun openly pledges allegiance to Meitei leader and BJP-backed state chief minister Biren Singh.
Kuki leaders have accused Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol of orchestrating attacks on their community by the Meitei group. Arambai Tenggol advocates for a more assertive Meitei nationalist stance, distinct from Hinduism, while Meitei Leepun aligns with the Hindutva movement led by the RSS and BJP.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Union government, the northeastern state of Manipur has been engulfed in what may be the country's longest-running ethnic conflict of the twenty-first century over the past 11 months.
The conflict has resulted in 60,000 displaced individuals, 1,100 injuries, and 219 fatalities. Various armed factions have reemerged, recruiting men and youths from both communities. In the Kangpokpi region of Manipur, two Kuki-Zo "village volunteers" were killed last Saturday, with reports indicating that their bodies were mutilated. Tribal organizations alleged in a press release that the killings were carried out by "central security forces, who aided Meitei militants."
The conflict is often oversimplified as a clash between the Christian Kuki-Zo and Hindu Meitei populations, reflecting the religious divisions seen in attacks on religious minorities and communal violence across India. Sanamahism, the indigenous faith of the Meitei group, is practiced alongside a syncretic version of Hinduism, while the Kuki-Zo communities are predominantly Christian. A smaller percentage of Meitei individuals identify as Muslims and Christians.
During the initial two months of the conflict, 7,831 incidents of vandalism and forced evictions were reported. Additionally, there were 189 cases of murder, assault (including sexual assault), injuries, and missing persons, along with 79 instances of widespread weapon theft.
