Meditation or Media-attention, Modi rattles opposition with his silence

New Delhi: The opposition leaders are relentless in their criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing 45-hour-long meditation at the famed Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. 

Apart from mockery by Akhilesh and Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition lodged formal complaints with the Election Commission fearing the media coverage of Modi’s meditation will electorally hurt them in the last phase of polling on June 1.

A cartoon circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups of Modi critics described the meditation as ‘mediaattention’.

However, the complaints and criticism are nothing short of noise, which PM Modi would not be hearing during his meditation period.

NewsDrum reported on Wednesday that the EC is not empowered under the RP Act to say anything about the meditation.

Perhaps, PM Modi’s critics are missing the point that their relentless opposition to the meditation is exposing their desperation and nervousness.

The first complaint is the television coverage giving mileage to the BJP in the last phase of polling. 

BJP leaders on Thursday rubbished the objections and countered by saying who is stopping opposition leaders to do the same.

Some political analysts were of the view that media coverage of such events is inevitable and helps the country’s heritage.

On the question of timing, a political analyst argued that it is true that this is the prime minister’s answer to a systematic attack on Sanatan dharma. 

“If the attack is for electoral benefits, what is the harm in reaping electoral benefits if it comes by defending those attacks?” asked an analyst adding that cameras are a must to make the most out of it.

Another reasoning presented by BJP leaders is that meditation is a part of the PM’s life and it is up to him to choose how he spends time after ending his exhaustive election campaign. 

Moreover, it is also a way to gather inner strength and energy for PM Modi, the BJP leaders argued.

“He could have chosen to visit Kashi Vishwanath temple as a devotee or given 10 more interviews in the silent period. Then also the opposition would have problems. All the leaders record interviews during the silent period and they talk about their own constituencies. Forget about talking about his own constituency, the PM is silent for 48 hours without food. Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal go for Vipassana meditations. They should go for it instead of crying foul,” BJP leaders were heard saying.

Another question being raised is that if he’s meditating for two days in the most extreme corner of the country who’s running the government whilst he’s away? 

What happens if there’s an emergency? Is this not irresponsible and deliberate disregard of a duty he’s elected and sworn to obey and uphold? 

When asked, a political analyst said that the opposition says he is surrounded by the cameras. “But in the same breath, they say that he is inaccessible,” the analyst said.