PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has of late proved himself to be a prisoner of indecision, being at the cross-currents of sangh intolerance and political savvy. But his Tea Diplomacy last week shows that he was back on track. He talked to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a cup of tea. His address in Parliament concluding the Constitution Day debate also emphasised a shared commitment to guiding principles. Modi’s diplomacy marked a significant departure from the bitter animosities in Parliament over the stalled legislations on the GST, especially after the storm in Bihar. Modi rose above divisiveness saying that the Constitution pertained to faith in the concept of one nation, one country. This inspired B. R Ambedkar, author of the Indian Constitution to draw up a social compact which took it far beyond the legal document.
The Indian Constitution has no use for resentment and retribution. Its main feature is expansiveness while it also makes for delimitation of powers. Narendra Modi did not focus merely on B.R Ambedkar but also on Jawaharlal Nehru. He did not deny that previous governments mainly under Congress rule contributed significantly to the growth of the polity. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had once said political leaders could be friends outside the rock and roll of inter-party bickerings. Modi generated genuine optimism saying that the Lok Sabha could spread the message to the Jan Sabha, the Aam Aadmi. But can the spirit of the Prime Minister’s unity campaign remain unsullied by Arun Jaitley indulging in a historical exercise comparing Indira Gandhi’s emergency to the scourge of the swastika?