THE UNGA SPEECH BY THE PM... --------------- One is not surprised by the mixed reaction to PM Modis maiden speech at the UNGA...The reactions vary from disappointing to good to the euphoric historic...best of the best...statesman like...world leader like... My take is that there is substance in all these takes. Let me explain. The speech was his first serious engagement practically just off the aircraft. Since he isnt a superman and chappan inch ki chaati no longer a preferred discriptive word about him, he had to combat the fallouts of catching his Air India aircraft almost immediately after his Make in India speech in Delhi...With a short technical break in Germany, he flew nonstop to NY...So jetlLag was a factor...Being a maiden speech at apex level in an apex HQ, was he overwhelmed? Is he comfortable speaking from a prepared script, not being his usual style? Leaving these niggles aside, did his speech contain earthshaking content? He spoke of democracy, UN reform, global terror needing global cooperation. He spoke about young India and its aspirations. He spoke of Pakistans perfidy and the need to see India as a lead regional player who also wants a place in the worlds top (G1 to G All) forums... All thats a pretty routine pitch by world leaders when they address the UN, no? What he did say differently was a hint; just a hint to the USA that he was open to Pivoting...That must have sounded sweet to the USA because that is what Obama is looking for... Overall, the speech elicited standard applause, nowhere near a standing ovation that rare speeches at the UNGA of the past have invited...It was, in my rating a good effort for a first time speech, notwithstanding the jet lag, the sequencing of the program, the need to read out his talk and the huge burden of expectations from him which media has so thoughtlessly hyped... With the heavy UNGA speech behind him and THAT burden off his loaded back, the PM was a different, even young and animated person in the next event - the Central Avenue Global Citizens concert where he (NOT a rock star) spoke among top quality rock stars and genuinely engaged 60,000 young better than the rock stars could on Swacchh (Clean) India and social reform was his message...The need to live a better life globally...He spoke (he was nattily dressed) ex tempore, which is his forte, he spoke in English in which he is comfortable, he spoke in Sanskrit and he connected, something which he did not quite do to the same pitch at the UNGA... Our media is obviously on a different wave length and presently calls him King Midas...I politely disagree and am willing to see what he does well and laud it as much as observe where he needs to reflect a bit...
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 02:07:37 +0000
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