After terming Modi as 'Divider in Chief', TIME Magazine now calls BJP leader unifier

A new article written by Manoj Ladwa stated no other Prime Minister had united the country as Modi did.

The article reads, "Yet despite the strong and often unfair criticisms leveled at Modi’s policies both throughout his first term and this marathon election, no Prime Minister has united the Indian electorate as much in close to five decades. The last time an Indian Prime Minister was re-elected with a parliamentary majority was in 1971. His coalition won just under 50% of the national vote."

Aatish Taseer, the British-born writer-journalist, who is the son of outspoken Indian journalist Tavleen Singh and late Pakistani politician and businessman Salmaan Taseer, had stated in his article that India is more divided as a nation than ever under Modi.

The story said: "The nation’s most basic norms, such as the character of the Indian state, its founding fathers, the place of minorities and its institutions, from universities to corporate houses to the media, were shown to be severely distrusted. The cherished achievements of independent India–secularism, liberalism, a free press–came to be seen in the eyes of many as part of a grand conspiracy in which a deracinated Hindu elite, in cahoots with minorities from the monotheistic faiths, such as Christianity and Islam, maintained its dominion over India’s Hindu majority."

Following Taseer's article, Time foreign affairs columnist and editor-at-large Ian Bremmer, in his article, perceived Modi with a lot of positives at a time the ruling BJP leader was facing severe criticisms from India's main opposition parties. 

Bremmer termed the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), which diluted multiple and complex tax systems in India, as "historic accomplishment".

"Thanks to the Goods and Services Tax enacted in 2017, Modi has streamlined an enormously complex system of state and federal tax collection, broadening the tax base and sharply reducing the amount of money lost to fraud. That’s a historic accomplishment in a country with so many development needs.," the article reads. 

Amid all criticisms and verbal onslaughts made by the Opposition, Modi emerged victorious as the BJP increased its 2014 General Elections tally by winning 303 seats.

The 17th Lok Sabha polls, which seemed to be an even battle, has actually crushed almost the entire Opposition including the Congress, which bagged only 52 seats.

Modi, who was appointed to the Prime Minister's Office by President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday, will take oath on Thursday.