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Numbers didn’t give glory to Jawaharlal Nehru. Not even 4,398, the number of days that Narendra Modi surpassed this week apparently to become the longest-serving “elected” prime minister of India. Nehru earned fame and respect because of his sacrifice and service; the actual number that strikes awe into most Indians is the 3,259 days Nehru spent in jail for the national cause. Petty politicians flaunting superiority because of sundry factors are insulting the freedom movement.

Nehru is considered one of the ideal politicians the world has seen because of his exceptional moral fortitude and intellectual prowess. His political charm is eternal because of his value system – that gave birth to the idea of India – and success in building a modern nation-state.

How many days he served as prime minister is irrelevant to his saga of greatness. Even six decades after his death, veneration for Nehru among the intelligentsia as well as the masses hasn’t diminished; he remains at the top of any global chart of statesmen who left an indelible mark on history.

It’s undesirable, if not cheap, that the number 4,399 triggered frenzied celebrations in the BJP. This means nothing for the country grappling with myriad crises – social, economic, political and cultural. How many days Modi sat on the throne makes absolutely no difference to national life because every section of society – from students and unemployed youth to farmers and entrepreneurs – is in distress.

Modi’s tenure has anyway been the most controversial in India’s history. There is a fierce debate on his politics, value system and achievements. While Modi’s supporters think India started rising only after his ascent to power, such an assessment lacks conviction and rationale. Though Modi has dreamt up a spot among the best, the majority opinion rates his leadership as the worst.

The desire for a comparison with Nehru is truly scandalous. While Nehru surprised the world by building a thriving democracy in the formative years of an illiterate and vastly diverse nation grappling with wretched poverty and lack of infrastructure, the Modi regime is seen by international agencies, historians and political scientists as a disturbing phase of diminishing democracy.

Nehru built great institutions – academic to cultural – and created a robust industrial base, but Modi is condemned for creating monopolies and selling national assets. Nehru earned global praise with his non-aligned, conscientious foreign policy that made........

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