‘India’S Divider In Chief’:Times

Times on Modi

Of its May 20 issue, the latest cover of its international edition, TIME magazine has featured Prime MinisterNarendraModias describing him as India's "Divider in Chief" as well as "Modithe reformer".

The cover story, written by novelistAatishTaseer, has the headline: "Can the world's largest democracy endure another five years of aModigovernment?" However, A second article, by IanBremmer, treatsModifar more positively, suggesting thatModiis "India's best hope for economic reform".

The first articlewas writtenbyAatishTaseer, (born 27 November 1980),a British-born writer-journalist, and the son of Indian journalistTalveenSingh and late Pakistani politician andbusiness personSalmaanTaseer. And the second one, written by IanBremmer, (born November 12, 1969) is an American political scientist specialising in U.S. foreign policy, states in transition, and global political risk.

Taseer'sarticle notes that "If in 2014 he (Modi) was able to exploit differencesin order tocreate a climate of hope, in 2019 he is asking people to stave off their desperation by living for their differences alone."

Then he was a messiah, ushering in a future too bright to behold, one-part Hindu renaissance, one-part South Korea's economic programme. Now he is merely a politician who has failed to deliver, seeking re-election. Whatever else might be said about the election, hope is off the menu," he wrote.

In another article, political scientist IanBremmeracknowledges thatModican beblamed for "fanning flames of hostility" toward Muslims, but says, "India still needs change, andModiremains the person most likely to deliver."

He further adds "Modihas the instinct to dominate and the thin skin of other strong men, but he also has a genuine track record in providing the kind of reform that developing India urgently needs."

This is not the first time TIME has featured PM on its cover page. They added an article in 2015 saying "HowNarendraModiWants to Change." In the 2015 edition, the magazine did an exclusive interview with him after he became the Prime Minister named "We are natural Allies". PMModiwas also featured on the magazine's cover in 2012 when he was the Gujarat chief minister.