India: alongside his Australian counterpart, Modi parades in a stadium in his name
On the occasion of the visit of the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, on Thursday March 9, Narendra Modi attended the start of an international cricket match between the selections of the two countries.
A ceremony which took place in a new stadium which bears the name of the Indian Prime Minister, and with a decorum which reveals the personality cult of Narendra Modi in India.
REUTERS - AMIT DAVE
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
On the occasion of the visit of the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, on Thursday March 9, Narendra Modi attended the start of an international cricket match between the selections of the two countries.
A ceremony which took place in a new stadium which bears the name of the Indian Prime Minister, and with a decorum which reveals the personality cult of Narendra Modi in India.
Advertisement
Read more
From our correspondent in New Delhi
,
Sébastien Farcis
The launch of the cricket match between India and Australia took on the appearance of a political rally
in honor of Narendra Modi
.
The cricket federation secretary, son of India's home minister, first presented the Indian leader with a portrait of himself in a silver frame.
Then Narendra Modi rode, with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, on a golden carriage, topped with a crown.
And the two men led a five-minute lap of honor to wave to the crowd, like in a Roman stadium.
All at the world's largest cricket stadium in Gujarat State, recently renovated and renamed Narendra Modi Stadium.
A memorable morning in Ahmedabad!
More power to the India-Australia friendship.
pic.twitter.com/xdT0j8o1qm
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2023
"
Modi joins the category of Stalin, Hitler
"
Political scientist Ramachandra Guha, speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival recently, talks about this cult of personality: "
By naming a stadium after himself, while he is still alive, Narendra Modi joins the category of Stalin , Hitler, Mussolini or Gadafi.
Every week, too, a minister from his government publishes a column in the three biggest English-language newspapers to say how great Narendra Modi is.
This is distressing for a democracy.
Even Ronald Reagan or Margaret Thatcher did not do this!
".
This omnipresence seems effective, because after nine years in power, Narendra Modi remains one of the most popular leaders in India.
► Read also
:
How the Modi government uses history as a political tool
in India
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
Continue reading on the same topics
India
Narendra Damodardas Modi
Australia
Anthony Albanian