Donald Trump is but a pale imitation of the populist Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. According to one commentator ‘he conducts politics as an act of constant war, not a matter of administration; is hyperactive – constantly dreaming up new slogans and initiatives; occupies so much of the political landscape himself that his opponents cannot even get heard; is hyper-sensitive and hostile to any criticism. The primary weapon Modi deploys to polarise his audience and stun opponents is stoking up religious tension. After his election in 2014, his party, BJP, started stoking up hysteria against Muslims and low-caste Hindus for not sufficiently respecting cows. Hindu mobs started attacking and lynching Muslims and low-caste Hindus for apparently eating beef – without evidence – on a regular basis.’
‘Modi carries himself with the kind of swagger and confidence opponents can only dream of. He makes Indians believe he can make India great again. Violent Hindu nationalism isn’t just the BJP’s crutch during elections – it is embedded in its DNA.‘
Dozens of Indian writers returned top national awards in 2015 in a protest against what they call a “climate of intolerance” after a series of attacks on intellectuals since his election. The niece of Nehru, a journalist and author, said that “India’s culture of diversity and debate is now under vicious assault”. Salman Rushdie weighed in saying the failure of the prime minister and others to act was allowing a new “degree of thuggish violence” in India.
Amnesty International’s report for 2016/17: ‘The authorities used repressive laws to curb freedom of expression and silence critics. Human rights defenders and organizations continued to face harassment and intimidation, and vigilante cow protection groups carried out several attacks.’
Despite not delivering on economic progress and creating a “currency chaos” when he abruptly annulled the vast majority of banknotes in a bid to tackle corruption, Modi has won even more backing in recent regional elections. He is now India’s most powerful leader in two generations; and is well on his way of turning the country into a Hindu nationalist state.
His term chart, 26 May 2014 6.13pm New Delhi, certainly reflects an administration that is hyper-active, ruthless, overly confident, careless of rules and regulations, a whirlwind of revolving crises. There’s a Cardinal Grand Cross of Mars opposition Uranus square Pluto opposition Jupiter; with a forbidding Saturn in Scorpio on the Ascendant. Though there’s also a ‘dependent?’ 7th house Gemini Sun square a 5th house Neptune, so perhaps there is more insecurity behind the scenes and ultimately domestic disappointment than appears.
What will be interesting is that this August’s Leo Solar Eclipse is closely conjunct the NC of this chart which sounds like a good going crisis. With the Solar Arc Moving to square Pluto exactly by mid 2018, and in effect in the months before, which looks high-risk and frustratingly trapped.
Modi’s own personal chart has a questionable date. Maybe 1949 or 1950. One in use is 17 Sept 1950 11 am which would put his MC conjunct this August Eclipse which would make sense – but it may be wrong, so best avoided. It certainly won’t affect his term chart which is accurate. Both India and Pakistan have 21 degree Leo Suns so will be in line for a collision with the August Eclipse, though it isn’t closely conjunct.
What gives with this rampant nationalism? Must be Pluto in Capricorn. Those not like us are against us and must be destroyed.