Why are Indians so worried about Trump? They elected Modi

The past few days have seen a lot of hand-wringing and moaning by the commentariat about how the liberal elite, the posh, educated, snazzy set in the political class, academics, professionals, and media, were so far removed from reality that they didn’t see Republican candidate Donald Trump sweep the US Presidential elections.

Odious comparisons were made how this happened in India too, in 2014, when the desi liberal refused to see the popularity of Narendra Modi, his sway among the "unwashed masses", and who went on to notch a stupendous win to become prime minister.  

It’s precisely these kind of over-simplistic conclusions that makes political punditry in India so dull and shallow.

Here are five reasons why:

1. In the US Presidential campaign, media was dogged in it's attempts to expose both Trump and Hillary Clinton’s misdemeanours – from Trump’s tax frauds and dodgy tax declarations, where his declared losses could allow him to not pay taxes for years; that he was a con man who allegedly defrauded students of Trump University; mainstream editorials punched him in the face saying he was a bigot, ignoramus and a fool, apart from the smutty tapes of pussy-grabbing and groping.

Clinton was equally flayed for the solicited donations to the Clinton Foundation when she was Secretary of State; Wikileaks’expose how Clinton took millions from big Wall Street banks and top donors before running for President; the FBI investigation into her private server, and other allegations.

Did we see anything like this in the run-up to the 2014 election?

Where were the probing questions on Modi’s development claims in Gujarat, even as CAG rapped Modi’s state government for spending Rs 19,700 crore without any gas production in the KG Basin; the astronomical rise in debt burden which rose from Rs 50,000 crore during the Keshubhai Patel regime to 1.66 lakh crore, ten years later.

Apart from dodgy transactions of Rs 25,000 crore and undue benefits given to billionaires like Adani, Ambani, Essar among others, from the Mundra Port, to Reliance Petrol to Essar Power, all looked at by CAG.

Then there was the Snoopgate scam where the state government was caught putting a lady, who was known to Modi, under surveillance.

Of course, the media, rightly, focused on the Congress-led UPA-2 scams and scandals – from telecom to coal to real estate – but more with rhetoric, rather than real scrutiny, which is why the alleged criminals, from A Raja to Robert Vadra, are still free.

2. After Trump’s so-called shock win, thousands of demonstrators have marched in major cities protesting Trump’s divisive and inflammatory campaign against Muslims, women, immigrants and so on.

Hashtags like #NotMyPresident, #DumpTrump #UnitedAgainstHate have surfaced on social media and on the streets, with support from top dog filmmakers like Michael Moore and Robert De Niro supporting the protests.

Demonstrators talk of reclaiming the American flag, what it stood for and push for its values. The protests are growing every day, without facing much vicious backlash.

Imagine if such protests had erupted in India after Modi’s win, by people who believe his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots should be scrutinised? Or try challenging the Modi Hindutva brigade on the beef ban, gau rakshaks, lynch mobs murdering or assaulting cow and beef vendors, historians; the issues of Kashmir, Pakistan, and so on?

The Modi bhakts’ fierce devotion and duty to the the Hindutva cause has unleashed a vicious and threatening assault against anyone who dares challenge the prime minister or Hindutva goons, inviting accusations of being branded an anti-national, unpatriotic and a terrorist!

Not to forget the heap of sexual and verbal abuse, threats to life and limb, media stalking and ambush – all explicit, downright dirty and undemocratic.

3. In the days to come, guess the kind of court cases Trump and his companies will be facing – they have sued two celebrity chefs for pulling out of an agreement to build restaurants in the new Trump International Hotel in Washington DC. The chefs quit after Trump’s racial statements against Mexicans and Hispanics.

Then there’s the legal suit in Florida against airlines flying over his Palm Beach resort.

While there’s no conflict of interest of a US President running a business according to federal law, the only legal trap for Trump could be the sexual abuse allegations made against him by several women, as US law does not protect his life outside the White House.

While Indian laws are strict about conflict of interest issues, it’s baffling how criminal charges against important leaders in the Gujarat riots, or those accused in fake encounter deaths have either been shut or the accused have been freed on bail – from BJP president Amit Shah, former state education minister Maya Kodnani, Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, who’s in and out of jail, to retired police officer DG Vanzara, among others.

Their audacious and controversial acquittals have taken one's breath away.

4. While mainstream US media was scathing and searing in its criticism of the bigoted and racist Trump campaign – from the New York Times to the Boston Globe – and how it was crucial for President-elect Trump to make America heal again, remember how media gushed during Prime Minister Modi's "inaugural" beginning in Varanasi?

The media coverage was equally stunning in the days later, climaxing with Modi’s US visit, that included New York and Washington.

Prime-time television anchors were falling over themselves as they rhapsodied about Modi at Madison Square Gardens – an NRI carnival of lurid nationalism – even as they completely ignored the protests on the side streets accusing Modi of genocide in Gujarat.

5. Finally, the US has many pop icons like Yoko Ono, protesting with her primal, wabi-sabi scream, Lady Gaga protesting outside Trump Tower in New York, Madonna and Cher joining protests in New York telling demonstrators they must fight, in India we had the likes of Anupam Kher and his Bollwood cohorts calling anyone who dares protest against Modi, traitors and Pakis.