How can one support Modi while opposing Gandhi at the same time?
While Narendra Modi praises Mahatma Gandhi with deep reverence, many of his supporters appear to despise him with equal intensity
The official PM India website reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial on January 30. his is not unusual—since assuming office, he has consistently done this on Gandhi’s birth and death anniversaries. He also frequently describes Gandhi as a role model for the world. However, it would not be accurate to say that PM Modi’s supporters share his deep reverence for Gandhi.
Modi has millions of supporters, and their individual views on different matters should not necessarily be linked to him. However, some of these supporters openly call themselves his devoted followers. When the Prime Minister does not actively challenge these supporters’ views—or, in some cases, seems to support them in other matters—it further complicates the issue.
For example, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most prominent supporters, BJP MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut, has made statements that reflect this sentiment. On Mahatma Gandhi’s 120th birth anniversary, she even objected to calling him the “Father of the Nation.” A few years ago, she also made an unusual appeal, suggesting that one must choose between Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. At that time, she shared an old newspaper clipping on social media and wrote, “Either you are a Gandhi fan or Netaji supporter. You can’t be both. Choose and decide.”