Letter to BS: Modi is accessible to all and that's a hallmark of greatness

This refers to "All charm, no politics" in the Chinese Whispers column (January 29). Rachna Fernandes says that she was "awed by his (Rahul Gandhi) charm and modesty". I could not help thinking whether she would say the same about Narendra Modi if the circumstances were similar. The fact is Modi makes himself accessible to all — notwithstanding the Z-category protection that he has to live with because of his position. Yet no one thinks that Modi's engaging with ordinary people is such a great thing. Is Ms Fernandes' outpouring of emotion the result of our own mindset? The notion that "first family" of Indian politics occupies such a hallowed space that we should perceive their friendliness as their greatness and benevolence? Modi makes himself accessible to common people all the time because he doesn't consider himself different from any of us — that is the hallmark of true greatness, in my opinion.

P N Krishnan  Mumbai

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