Amid chants of “Modi, Modi”, Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami declared on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his “historic third term” in a few weeks.

You won’t be blamed for mistaking this for an election rally with Goswami playing an enthusiastic BJP karyakarta. He was speaking at the Republic Summit 2024 where Modi was the keynote speaker.

After the prime minister presented his 75-day “report card”, Goswami delivered the closing address where he claimed Modi is the “first” PM “of this generation and in the world” who understands the “macro and micro picture”.

What do these words even mean? Goswami was reticent, though he asked the audience whether they were “energised” after Modi’s report card. This is “pro-incumbency”, he declared, before turning to the PM with folded hands to tell him, “Your style and thinking is beyond the traditional political analysts and traditional economists.”

Goswami tried to explain further but perhaps lost his script. 

“You are…it’s very…ye isliye bani hain kyunki aap desh ki zameen se jude hue hain (It is made because you are connected to the ground), you are a social worker.”

Goswami then took the audience back in time. “I have known you since the days you lived in a small room behind the BJP office. But you have been very kind to me, I used to trouble you then too.”

Goswami then cut himself short amid loud cheers and an inaudible remark from Modi, and rerouted his speech. He said an understanding of macro and micro “is very difficult”. But while Modi thinks about “gaganyaan” or spaceship and GST, he also thinks about the disabled.    

He said in Hindi, “Par macro aur micro ko samajhna bahot mushkil hain. Aap gagan yaan aur GST ke baare mein sochte hain magar apne jo divyango ke barein jo ye signage system ki baat kahi usse apki understanding aur empathy bhi dikhti hain and it’s very important for a leader. That’s why people believe in you.”

Goswami also threw light on his expertise on “structural economy” to explain Modi’s understanding of economics. “Structural economics se economy nahi banti hain, apne desh ki social neev banayi hain. You have brought back respect, and respect for all.” 

In English: “Structural economy does not make an economy. You have made the social foundation of the country.” 

“Finally, Modiji, the nation looks forward to your leadership,” Goswami repeated. “For many years and many many decades to come…Modiji, in seven-eight weeks you will win a historic mandate and begin your historic third term. And we look forward to taking the vision forward.”

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