In His New Book, Shashi Tharoor Examines All Things Modi

MP Shashi Tharoor speaks his heart out while talking about political issues concerning contemporary India in one of the most eloquently written books I have read lately. Not just that, the book serves as a critique of the current Modi government. It is called “The Paradoxical Prime Minister”.

The book will make the reader question the functioning of the present government from almost all sides of the prism when reading with political neutrality. It leaves the reader with no choice but to think of (at least once) immigrating out of the country.

The content of the book is beautifully structured, establishing the background of the prime minister and swiftly browsing through his paradoxical ways of heading the country. The policies and laws are vividly explained and the simplicity of the text successfully engages the reader. The book also talks about governance and how it has changed in contemporary India. As one approaches the middle section of the book, it becomes data heavy, bombarding the reader with ponderous information with the purpose of creating doubt around Modi government (and succeeding).

However, Tharoor does get victimised by his own political affiliation to his party. He risks sounding imprudent as he slips down from the premise of his central argument. He blames the present government for not solving the problems brought into existence by previous government(s).

The attempt to present a fairly politically neutral account of the paradoxical nature of the present government, a.k.a. the Modi government, is visible and looks honest. However, as only sages can maintain neutrality, moral or political, he does steer away from this neutrality by hailing the Congress here and there, and trying to establish a higher ground for his party.

It definitely qualifies as a must-read because he talks facts and adds logical reasoning to these facts, avoiding meandering around the periphery that most political commentaries do today.

I will go with 3.5 stars out of 5.

Featured Image source: Wikimedia Commons.