Modi's Radio Is Calling, Let Us Connect

Inclusion and access have always been identifiable hallmarks of the Modi regime. He was one of the first prominent members of his party to be really active on social media before he became the PM and it was his influence that prompted all the ministers to join Twitter. Taking his mass communication idea forward, the Indian PM has now decided to get in touch with the people through radio and has also asked for suggestions from the common people regarding the format in which this dream of his could be realized and increase the frequency of his communication with the police. In his Twitter profile the Indian PM has stated as much. He has basically asked the people to come and share their ideas with him on this matter. For people who are interested to do this the destination is the platform named MyGov and the web address is mygov.in. There are plenty of areas where Modi would like the discussion to happen and one of them is the problems and issues that he would be talking to the common people with.

How to organise the interaction with people

As far as the topic of discussion is concerned it should not be restricted only to the problems – there is also a need to talk about different issues where the country has been doing well and discuss how further progress can be achieved. The PM would also like to decide through the suggestions how often the discussions shall take place – will they happen once a month or once a week. Given the tough schedule that Modi has to work with, it could very well be a miracle if he can spare even one day in a month – let alone for a week - for a meaningful discussion with the people. However, one thing is for sure – no matter what time is decided in the end, the PM should adhere to it without fail because otherwise it will lose all credibility. Take a look at the flip side! Narendra Modi has also asked the people to suggest if the discussions should happen with the option of people calling in or if the audience should be pre-invited. The problem with a phone-in would be there could be so many people calling at the same time that there could be a complete breakdown of the lines of communication and that would mean the entire programme will run into the ground even before it starts properly in the first place. In case of pre-invited guests the Government can ask people to share their ideas and complaints a month before the meeting – ones, which are thought to be the best can then be screened and the people concerned can be asked to come on the show and talk with the PM directly. However, the problem with such an approach is that people will say that the Government is bypassing issues, which it does not consider important or ones which are uncomfortable. Such a scenario could harm the Government’s image. The basic funda of Modi's new initiative The basic aim of the programme is to ensure that the PM can increase his interaction with the common people on a greater scale and so he is looking for newer ways to achieve that. The PM has already used media such as video conferences, SMSes and emails to reach out to diverse sections of the population. On Teachers' Day he had got in touch with students of varying ages through a one-and-half-hour video conference. Previously, in order to roll out the Jan Dhan Yojana plan the PM had reached out to officials in the public banks through emails. Till now, Modi has made a conscious effort to present himself as a complete antithesis to the shy and reticent former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who rarely communicated with the common people save on occasions when the protocol demanded him to do so. It only remains to be seen how long the present PM is able to keep up with his noble initiative.

Modi's Radio Is Calling, Let Us Connect - But How?

How to organise the interaction with people

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