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    Arun Shourie calls PM Narendra Modi a narcissist

    Synopsis

    Shourie, a front-runner for one of the top Cabinet posts in Centre, alleged in an interview that govt under Modi’s supervision was “not good for India”.

    ET Bureau
    NEW DELHI: Editor-turned-politician Arun Shourie has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "narcissist" running a presidential government without any checks and balances and termed it dangerous for the country.

    While most BJP leaders ET talked to were dismissive about the remarks, a senior Cabinet minister said, “Shourie has always been in the habit of attacking and abusing the party if he does not get what he asks for.” Shourie, considered a front-runner for one of the top Cabinet posts in Modi’s government, alleged in an interview to Karan Thapar, that the direction of the government under Modi’s supervision was “not good for India”.

    He predicted that the next three years of the present dispensation may see “a more systematic attempt to curb civil liberties” and an increase in “decentralised intimidation” besides “choking” of “inconvenient voices”.

    Accusing PM of narcissism, Shourie said it is “self-love to an exaggerated extent and insecurity”.

    He also said Modi was guilty of Machiavelianism who “exploits events to his benefit”. He maintained that Modi’s “attitude to people was to use and throw them” and he treats people “like paper napkins”. He compared Modi's two years as prime minister “as a boxing match with everybody” and said that he had not “had the focus we expected of him”. This was a “great opportunity completely missed”, he added. One of the reasons for Modi’s problems is that he “is getting inputs from very few people and they are, additionally, the people he has chosen,” Shourie said. He saw “a clear line of logic” that linked ghar- wapsi, love-jihad, beef ban, the return of awards, the campaign against antinationalism, the focus on 'Bharat Mata ki jai' and student protests.


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