Often times I’ve been stirred by talks of a great future, of a great country that India can be. I would at times feel privileged that I could be an audience to such verbal accounts of hope & optimism. I have been a part of such an initiative for the past one year where such instances were not uncommon. But for the first time (or maybe I just can’t remember when else it was so) that the whole nation – atleast the people whom I have met – young or old – have also been just as privileged to be touched by that optimism. It happened many times in the past few months – and it happened today. If not anyone, I was once again seeing the hopes for a new India become true – and many many more opting in this optimism.

I had the opportunity to visit my paternal & maternal families last weekend. Both days I was in the company of my elders & other family members – the amazing family tree I’m a part of. Among all the talks of the past – the days my grand parents spent, the days my uncles & aunts spent, also came in the talks of the politics of each era, the India of the past century. From my grand parents’ times – who saw the partition, who saw the independence of the country, to the time of my parents & uncles and aunts who saw the various wars of the past, including the riots in the country, elsewhere & in Delhi, they had seen the make & remake of politics. And on an obvious note, I was an audience to this as well. But, I saw a change from the past few years to this weekend.

Earlier on, when we used to meet & politics would be the topic of discussion, they would often times all concur that the country has potential but sadly is going on a low slide to an era back. The tone would often have been pessimistic, with people agreeing ab sab bhagwaan bharonse chal raha hai (now everything depends on God).

But this time, everyone was upbeat! They were suddenly talking of how optimistic they felt for the country. They remembered the time when Indira Gandhi used to address the nation or speak to a gathering, the audience with rapt attention – they could recall it all. And all of this they were reliving again – through Narendra Modi’s speeches & addresses. Not one person that I met was talking of the country they thought was bhagwaan bharonse. They were talking of a country which was geared up to be the next super power.

I wouldn’t have felt any better hearing it all.

People often ask me or question my preference for Narendra Modi. And for all those times I would just say the same thing. I am not inclined towards any political personality, least towards any particular party. I’ve always been with the person who shows optimism, who shows the bright light when it is all gloom. To many it might seem like an eye-wash using emotional words, but to me it felt like motivation to do something, and the opportunity to see another perspective – the one which was lacking for long.

He managed to stir many with his SRCC talk. And he did so again today with his speech in the Central Hall of the Parliament House, the temple of democracy as he calls it, where he entered after bowing down at the stairs, just as we do at any temple or gurudwara or dargah.

Show me a politician (I would rather call him a leader than a politician though) who has been so visual about his dedication to the country? I couldn’t find any, I don’t know about you. I can finally see a parliament mesmerised by the leader talking in that house! And also many who aren’t sneering at some acts but emotionally touched, wiping of their tears while their leader gets emotional when he recalls of the duty towards his country.

I reserve my further words for the future when we do see yet another ray of hope, at a time probably after the action & opening of another perspective which wasn’t clear since the country hadn’t walked the 1.2 billion steps together.

And I take this all after the speech I recommend that you too hear. (The quality isn’t that good, but you can hear him well :) )

Narendra Modi’s Speech In Parliament Central Hall (20th May, 2014):