By I.S. Saluja

NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): Modi had said after the Indian Air Force bombed terrorist location in Balakot in Pakistan, “Humne dushman ko ghar mein ghus kar mara hai”. It is almost a similar surgical strike we saw within India in the just concluded elections. Modi simply intruded into the territory of the opposition and decimated them. Modi magic which was evidenced in 2014 worked with greater efficacy this time around. But the huge victory for BJP -302 seats- has not resulted in any bravado which was probably expected of Mr. Modi.

In the speech he made to the BJP workers, May 23 at BJP Headquarters in New Delhi, Mr. Modi spoke like a statesman, reassuring the nation that  BJP owed allegiance to the Constitution and that he will take all together in  building a stronger  nation- a reassurance to the fearing minorities who have been uneasy  because of the hardliners in BJP openly speaking in favor of Hindutva and a Hindu nation.

Mr. Modi said the mandate laid the foundation for the 21st century India, where there would be only two castes. “The first of these castes would be the poor, and the second those who want to fight poverty,” he said. The emergence of these two castes in this election was the reason for the defeat of parties that espoused casteism.

In an impassioned speech, he said that in his second term, he wanted to make three vows to the people. “My first vow is that I will not do anything out of ill-will or bad intentions. I could make mistakes but never do anything out of malice. My second vow is that I shall never do anything for myself in order to garner profit for myself, and my third vow is that every minute of my life and myself I shall devote to the country. Whenever you want to evaluate me, you must do so on these parameters,” he said.

Mr. Modi thanked “130 crore” people of India for their faith in Bharatiya Janata Party and for handing down a historic mandate. He said it was their victory; it was the victory of the common people of India. “It is not Modi’s victory. It is the victory of honest people, of youth, of mothers, of hardworking farmers, of honest middle-class people who paid taxes.  He said he dedicated the BJP victory to the people of India.