Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ celebrates a century and establishes a direct link between PM and masses: Dr Chandra

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Bharat24-Vision of New India and First India; CMD First India News looks back at the eight years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ which will complete 100 episodes on Sunday, April 30. Dr Chandra stresses that it was PM’s conviction to acknowledge and celebrate change makers working at grassroots level. Dr Chandra further says that this is the first non- political communication by a politician

• It will be the hundredth ‘Mann Ki Baat’ of PM Narendra Modi on Sunday. As such there is a question among the masses as to what is the basic concept of ‘Mann Ki Baat’?
  Dr Jagdeesh Chandra: Basic concept of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is to have a direct one- to- one contact with the people, the common man,with the masses, with the citizens. Prior to this, what used to happen was the Presidents or Prime Ministers or other senior leaders would address the public and the nation on television and they would go away. There was no communication or rather there was just ‘one- way’ communication in their actions. This time around, its a ‘two-way’ communication. PM would say and even listen to people, consider people’s suggestion and enforce them as well. That is its basic concept. Secondly, Anurag Thakur recently said that it has now been established, across the world, that PM Modi is a brilliant orator and a brilliant communicator, who can establish direct contact with the masses. If we look at it deeply, we can see that he says each and every point of his with such faith and conviction, his face reflects confidence, his demeanour establishes trust in the people, what ever he says people trust that. Hence, what ever he says in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, people accepted that and followed it. And this gives inspiration that a ‘Rashtra-Nayak’ is carrying out the ‘Mann Ki Baat.’ One more basic concept of this is that the issues related with the society, with the people or with in the best interest of the nation, those issues would be converted in people’s movement, merely through his speech. Take for example the cleanliness drive, or the ‘Beti Bachao Aandolan’, ‘Selfie with Daughter’, Water conservation, Made in India, Khelo India and several others. Moreover, what ever PM says, that become a slogan for people and becomes a hit slogan. So the basic concept of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is to hold direct communication with the people.

• Do you think ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has been the first programme of a political leader that has been like a non-political programme?
  Hundred percent it is so. This is perhaps the first such communication in the world, where a politician is engaging in non-political communication. Otherwise, what happens is that politicians have a lust for giving speeches to large gatherings, but no one holds a non-political talk. Perhaps this has never happened in the world. So, this is a first of its kind experiment, which has been a success and just imagine that it is the first time in our nation as well that a political individual is taking up nonpolitical issues in such a major programme. So, this is a good experiment, which should be lauded.

• How do you rate Narendra Modi as a ‘Global Leader’ and also his growing popularity graph across the world?
  Excellent. There is no controversy in this. He has become a ‘Global Leader.’ The global leadership be it America, China, Italy, Russia, France, German or Great Britain, all the major world powers have accepted his leadership. One can say that China is a little uptight in accepting this, but when he met Chinese premier, he was accorded immense respect. Some heads of state hug him tightly, some hold his hand for minutes altogether, so this shows that there is an international craze for Modi among the top leadership of the world. This was about leadership, Now see what is the public saying. Recently, a survey was conducted on popularity of world leaders in which, PM Modi had 76 % approval across the world. He is more popular than the American President. This is special. And in fact, it is my stern belief that if the entire world countries have one Parliament, and if one person had to be chosen as President or Prime Minister, then it will be PM Modi. Such has been his graph. Moreover, the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme is being heard across the world, in Embassies and Consulates, and at other places. I believe that this 76 percent approval rating would further increase by four or five percent after the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on April 30. So, Modi of course, is a ‘Global Leader’ and his graph is growing with each passing moment.

• What is the most popular theme of ‘Mann Ki Baat’? It is said that a survey has been done on it by IIM? What was the agenda of this survey?
  The theme has been to project scientific achievements, to focus and highlight education, health, achievements related to army,issues concerning common man, women empowerment etc. The survey has been a good one. The important thing about Narendra Modi’s office is that and his own too is that every work is done in an authentic manner. There is no place for glorification or sycophancy and every work is done in a scientific manner. So, a survey was conducted by the IIM, where three-four points came to light. There are 20 crore people, who are continuously hearing it. 73% people from these are those who say that through this, the nation is going in a right direction. So in a way, people are stamping their approval on Modi’s leadership. In fact, 60% people who hear ‘Mann Ki Baat’ claim that they learn from it and get inspired. As far as medium is concerned, about 44% people watch it on TV, about 37 % people watch it on mobile, and about 17% people listen to it on radio. So, it is a popular programme.

• Is the Government of India going to include ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme in school curriculum?
  This is a brilliant idea. Perhaps after watching our show, PM Modi may ponder on it, because this is a programme, which is connected with the people, with the grassroots. You are teaching history in schools, at lest show the present and the India of the 21st century. ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is the India of tomorrow. So, it is a good thought and I stress that the government should think over it and include the episodes, lessons and experiences in the school curriculum. Secondly, the idea behind this programme is that the hidden talents of our people, those who live in villages and not in Lutyens, they can be brought forward. So this means bringing forward the grassroots change- makers, which is being done through this programme. So yes, it should be included in curriculum since crores of people are watching it.

• How do you visualise PM Narendra Modi’s journey of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ over the past eight years?
  It has been a fast, wonderful and an adventurous journey. Just imagine, eight years back, on October 3, 2014, the first episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ was aired. Modi had become PM in May that year and he chose ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ as the day for this. The first issue he picked was of cleanliness, through ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’ and with over one crore and 25 lakh listeners, he started this programme. And then as he moved ahead, the caravan kept on increasing. Second issue he picked was of ‘Khadi’ and said that if we buy one small Khadi item, then it will help the poor in celebrating Diwali. In the third episode, he mentioned about Swami Vivekananda and stressed that people should realise their power and capability and stand up for the development of the nation, like he said in the cleanliness drive that he wants everyone should walk with him and remove the dirt of the nation.
  That programme became a super hit. PM Modi also narrated a story on tiger and tigress wherein a tigress hunts down a sheep but in the process her cub gets lost into the flock of sheep. That cub is brought up by the sheep and when years later that tiger comes across its real brother, the brother asks that you are a tiger, but your behaviour is like that of a sheep. To this, the tiger says that he was brought up by sheep hence, he is like them. So, the tiger took his brother to a nearby lake & showed him its face in water. Upon this, the tiger realised that he is not a sheep but a tiger & started roaring. So, PM Modi wanted to say, citing Vivekananda, to realise our potential & power as Indians, to move ahead and develop the nation.

• Why did PM Modi choose radio for the dissemination of ‘Mann Ki Baat’?
  This was his personal decision and shows his wisdom too. Firstly, radio is the medium of the poor. TV and mobiles are expensive. But radio is extremely cheap. Secondly, its reach is immense, it is wonderful. There are 142 crore Indians and I believe that children above the age of five years, listen to radio. Such is its reach that radio is heard in villages of Arunachal and Nagaland as well as in a remote dhani of Barmer, where there would be no television or mobile. He chose radio in the year 2014, which is a medium for the poor and thus for the masses. His target was not the elites, but the people who live in villages and hence, he chose radio. As far as the importance of radio is concerned, everyone accepts this aspect. Now PM is going to launch FM transmission as well. So, radio was chosen because it has reach, it is cheap and thus, people have access to it. And basically, he must have felt that he too is from the rural background so he must promote rural India and not the ‘Elitist Lutyens’’ culture. Otherwise, what happens is that a leader would go on the television, show their face and come back. He did not want to show his face. The nation has seen his face. He wanted to make people listen to his ‘Mann Ki Baat’, hence he chose the radio is a medium.

• What was PM Modi’s vision and focus in the first Mann Ki Baat episode?
  In the first episode, his vision and focus was to establish a direct contact with the masses and take up issues with which people have a connect, so he can promote those issues. Like I said, his focus was on people, who have never been in limelight or in the main stream. Secondly, his focus was on the people living in villages and the talented individuals from various fields and to bring forth such people, to promote and recognise them, be it through awards like Padma Shri, or honouring them at Raj Bhawan or through any other way. So, his basic idea was a success.

• I&B Minister Anurag Thakur recently said that it is not merely ‘Mann Ki Baat’ but it is the voice of the people. Do you think so?
  I completely agree with Anurag Thakur. He said one more line that this is a reflection of all round development of India. While the I&B Ministry handles the management of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ but this time around, the Minister himself is handling the affairs, and not left it on bureaucracy. So, it is being carried out in a decent and low profile manner and I agree with his claim that it has become the voice of nation. If crores of people are watching and listening to it, then what else would be the voice of the nation? He is right and I completely endorse his view point.

During the show JCOnMannKiBaat trended top All-India on Twitter