How can one support Modi while opposing Gandhi at the same time?
While Narendra Modi praises Mahatma Gandhi with deep reverence, many of his supporters appear to despise him with equal intensity
The official PM India website reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial on January 30. This is not unusual—since assuming office, he has consistently done this on Gandhi’s birth and death anniversaries. He also frequently describes Gandhi as a role model for the world. However, it would not be accurate to say that PM Modi’s supporters share his deep reverence for Gandhi.
Modi has millions of supporters, and their individual views on different matters should not necessarily be linked to him. However, some of these supporters openly call themselves his devoted followers. When the Prime Minister does not actively challenge these supporters’ views—or, in some cases, seems to support them in other matters—it further complicates the issue.
For example, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most prominent supporters, BJP MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut, has made statements that reflect this sentiment. On Mahatma Gandhi’s 120th birth anniversary, she even objected to calling him the “Father of the Nation.” A few years ago, she also made an unusual appeal, suggesting that one must choose between Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. At that time, she shared an old newspaper clipping on social media and wrote, “Either you are a Gandhi fan or Netaji supporter. You can’t be both. Choose and decide.”
Kangana’s statement is worth examining in more detail because Modi’s supporters often echo similar arguments in debates. Targeting Mahatma Gandhi, she further claimed that ‘Those who fought for the freedom were ‘handed over’ to their masters by those who had no courage burning/ boiling hot blood to fight their oppressors but they were power hungry and cunning…Those are the ones who taught us, if someone slaps you offer another cheek for one more slap and that is how you will get aazaadi. That's not how one gets aazadi, one can only get bheekh like that. Choose your heroes wisely." She further wrote that “Gandhi never supported Bhagat Singh or Netaji… there are evidence that suggest Gandhi ji wanted Bhagat Singh to be hanged… So you need to choose who you support because just placing them all in one box of your memory and every year wishing them all on their birth anniversaries is not enough. In fact, it is not just dumb, it is highly irresponsible and superficial… One must know their history and their heroes…”
If we compare Kangana's statements to Narendra Modi’s words about Gandhi, the contrast is striking. For example, at the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ ceremony for the Ram Temple, Modi spoke about Gandhi with great reverence. He said:
“Just as Dalits, backward classes, tribals, and people from all sections of society supported Gandhiji in the freedom struggle, in the same way, with the support of people across the country, this sacred work of constructing the Ram Temple has begun. … During the freedom struggle, Ram was present in Bapu’s hymns as the power of non-violence and Satyagrah. … The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, envisioned Ram Rajya in the light of these very principles and mantras. Ram’s life and character themselves are the path to Gandhiji’s vision of Ram Rajya.”
Here, while mentioning the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister also seemed to be trying to establish that he is following the path shown by Gandhi and that the construction of the Ram Temple is a similar endeavor. In an event where the very organization of the program and Modi’s presence were enough to delight his supporters, the Prime Minister’s repeated references to Gandhi were particularly noteworthy.
This becomes even more significant because, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was making these remarks, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and several other top RSS functionaries were present. Anyone with even a basic understanding of Indian politics knows how the RSS and its affiliates have historically maintained a distance from Gandhi. Moreover, many of the political figures, saints, and common people attending the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony were not necessarily known for their closeness to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. In this context, Modi’s repeated mention of Gandhi must have been surprising not only to his critics but also to his supporters.
But this was not the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly sought to associate himself with Mahatma Gandhi. Modi not only frequently invokes Gandhi’s name in his speeches but also promotes khadi and poses for photographs while spinning the charkha. Whenever an important foreign dignitary visits India, a trip to the Sabarmati Ashram with Prime Minister Modi is almost a given. He has taken numerous world leaders there, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Additionally, whenever Prime Minister Modi speaks on an international platform, he makes sure to mention Mahatma Gandhi. At the United Nations General Assembly, he highlighted Gandhi’s contributions to the freedom movement and his continued relevance today. On Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, Modi wrote an article for The New York Times, emphasizing why both India and the world still need Gandhi’s ideals. During the nationwide controversy and protests over the new citizenship law, Modi even defended it by claiming that it was Gandhi’s wish that Hindus from Pakistan who wanted to settle in India should always be welcomed.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while speaking to a media channel, Prime Minister Modi remarked that before the release of the film Gandhi, no one in the world knew about Mahatma Gandhi. Here, he was likely taking a dig at the Congress, implying that it had not done enough to spread Gandhi’s philosophy globally. According to critics, this statement was also a subtle attempt to portray himself as a true champion of Gandhi. Regardless of his intent, there is no doubt that he has been consistent in publicly acknowledging the power of Gandhi and his ideas.
However, among Modi’s supporters, there exists a strange contradiction regarding Gandhi. Even his staunchest followers—who otherwise unquestioningly believe in Modi—differ from him when it comes to Mahatma Gandhi. From BJP leaders to party workers and common supporters, many have been heard expressing disdain for Gandhi, using derogatory language against him, and even displaying outright hatred.
Take a few examples: A few years ago, a young BJP worker stirred controversy by claiming that India’s independence was granted on a 100-year lease. Many BJP supporters often repeat a similar narrative, seemingly inspired by BJP leader Anant Kumar Hegde, who dismissed Gandhi’s freedom movement as mere “drama.” Before that, Amit Shah, the current Home Minister and former BJP president, had referred to Gandhi as a “clever baniya” (a term for the trader caste). Meanwhile, BJP MP Pragya Thakur, standing in Parliament, went as far as calling Nathuram Godse—a convicted assassin of Gandhi—a “patriot.”
Last year, at an event celebrating Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary, popular Bhojpuri singer Devi Singh was forced to apologize for singing Gandhi’s favorite hymn, Vaishnav Jan To… The incident took place in Patna, with Union Minister Ashwini Choubey present at the event.
Among the most controversial statements made by BJP leaders regarding Gandhi, the most well-known ones come from national party spokesperson Sambit Patra and Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij. While Patra referred to Prime Minister Modi as the “father” of the nation, Vij suggested removing Gandhi’s image from Indian currency. The impact of such statements is evident even today, as social media is frequently flooded with demands or predictions about declaring PM Modi as the new “Father of the Nation” and removing Gandhi’s image from banknotes. Modi’s supporters also routinely justify Gandhi’s assassination, question his character, and label him as an enemy of Hinduism.
Looking at the behavior of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters, it often seems as though they either do not listen to him, do not believe what he says, or—as suggested later in this article—assume that his praise for Gandhi is merely a formality. That said, this pattern of disregarding Modi’s words is not exclusive to Mahatma Gandhi.
For example, when PM Modi sought to reassure India’s minority communities and genuinely implement his “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with All, Development for All) slogan, many of his supporters reacted with disappointment or disapproval. A similar reaction was seen when the government repealed the controversial farm laws. If we consider the improper language used on the internet, many of his supporters seemingly ignored the Prime Minister’s appeal regarding it. This also holds true in the case of gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes). Analysts believe that when a leader encourages extremist tendencies among his or her supporters for strategic convenience, it becomes increasingly difficult to rein them in later.
If we return to the criticism of Mahatma Gandhi by Modi supporters and examine history, we find that Hindu nationalist and right-wing political supporters have often denounced Gandhi’s nonviolent policies as acts of cowardice. Mahatma Gandhi, in turn, openly criticized the right wing’s hardline nationalist stance, their treatment of minorities, and their tendency to portray themselves as the protectors of civilization and culture. However, there is an odd contradiction here: right-wing supporters hold resentment against Gandhi for merely criticizing them verbally, yet they embrace Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who had once labeled the RSS as “forces of hate” and banned it.
Another contradiction is evident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi occasionally remembers Sardar Patel, whereas he frequently invokes Mahatma Gandhi’s name. If we recall some of his earliest initiatives after coming to power, such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), or examine his more recent policies promoting self-reliance, both are deeply rooted in Gandhi’s core teachings of cleanliness and self-sufficiency. In contrast, Patel’s legacy under Modi’s government has largely been limited to the Statue of Unity. Despite this, there has been no visible shift in Modi supporters’ admiration for Patel and their hostility toward Gandhi.
When it comes to critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they often raise the question: Is his love for Gandhi genuine? Some of Modi’s critics believe that his supporters do not align with him on the issue of Gandhi because they recognize that his admiration is merely superficial. These critics argue that if this were not the case, the BJP would have taken action against leaders within the party who have insulted Gandhi.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has expressed skepticism about Modi’s intentions regarding Gandhi, stating that Modi was politically nurtured in an environment that harbored hatred for Gandhi and that for him, Gandhi is merely an effective marketing strategy. Many others also accuse Narendra Modi of acting in ways that contradict Gandhi’s ideals.
However, despite these criticisms, Prime Minister Modi’s public conduct toward Mahatma Gandhi remains exemplary, and at the very least, his supporters should take note of this.