Beyond Nehru's Record: Why 'Jan Bhagidari' May Be Defining Legacy Of Modi's 12 Years In Power

Key points

• Beyond Nehru's Record: Why 'Jan Bhagidari' May Be Defining Legacy Of Modi's 12 Years In Power Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 14:32 IST From Swachh Bharat and digital payments to water conservation and vaccination campaigns, the government has increasingly sought to turn policy initiatives into public movements Rapid Read A recurring theme in PM Modi’s Independence Day speeches has been that development cannot remain the sole responsibility of the government.
• (AFP) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to surpass Jawaharlal Nehru on June 10 to become India’s longest-serving democratically elected prime minister in continuous office, one of the sharpest contrasts between the two leaders lies not just in the length of their tenures, but in how they viewed the role of citizens in nation-building.
• While Nehru’s governance model relied heavily on institutions, bureaucracy and state-led planning to drive development in a newly independent nation, PM Modi’s 12 years...