I always say the strength of democracy lies in criticism. If

Hear the words of Narendra Modi, leader of a vast and ancient land, who declared: “I always say the strength of democracy lies in criticism. If there is no criticism, that means there is no democracy. And if you want to grow, you must invite criticism. And I want to grow; I want to invite criticism.” In this proclamation is found a truth older than kings and yet forever new: that criticism is not the enemy of freedom, but its guardian, its test, and its life-breath. A tree grows strong not by avoiding storms, but by standing firm in their winds. So too, a democracy grows not by silencing dissent, but by listening to it, enduring it, and being shaped by its challenge.

The origin of this thought flows from the very heart of democratic tradition, where the voice of the people is sovereign and unchecked power is dangerous. Modi, as one who has faced both praise and fierce opposition, knew well that leadership cannot be measured by applause alone. A true democracy thrives when leaders are questioned, when policies are examined, and when errors are revealed by the courage of the critic. Without criticism, democracy decays into silence, and silence is the shadow of tyranny. Thus, he invites criticism not as an ornament, but as a necessity for growth.

History thunders with examples that reveal this truth. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who during the darkest days of the American Civil War endured relentless criticism from his own cabinet, his generals, and the people. He did not banish those who opposed him, but gathered them, even his rivals, into his council. Out of debate, out of the sharpening stone of disagreement, came decisions that preserved the Union. Had Lincoln silenced his critics, the nation might have been lost. His strength lay not in avoiding dissent, but in welcoming it as the price and the proof of democracy.

So too in the lands of ancient Athens, where democracy was first born, the people gathered in the agora to question, to argue, to rebuke even their leaders. Socrates himself declared that an unexamined life was unworthy of man, and he pressed his city with questions until they condemned him. Yet even in his death, he proved the truth: that the strength of democracy lies in criticism, for to challenge falsehood, even at great cost, is to defend freedom’s very soul.

The heart of Modi’s wisdom is a paradox: leaders who seek only praise are weak, for they are surrounded by echoes of themselves. Leaders who welcome criticism are strong, for they are refined by fire. A man who cannot endure rebuke cannot grow; a nation that cannot endure dissent cannot endure at all. Criticism is the surgeon’s knife, painful yet healing, cutting away falsehood, complacency, and pride, leaving behind a body renewed and a spirit strengthened.

There is also here a lesson for the individual soul. For just as nations grow by criticism, so too do we. The one who fears correction remains a child; the one who invites it matures into wisdom. To grow in character, one must welcome the mirror held up by others, even when it reveals flaws. For only by facing our errors can we rise above them. Thus, criticism, though bitter to taste, becomes the seed of transformation.

The lesson for us is clear: if you would be free, welcome criticism. If you would grow, seek it out. In your family, in your work, in your nation, do not silence the voice that questions you. Listen, discern, and learn. For the critic, when honest, is your ally; the flatterer, though gentle, is your ruin. A democracy, like a man, stands strongest when it can bear to be rebuked and yet move forward wiser and stronger.

Thus, O seeker, remember Modi’s wisdom: the strength of democracy lies in criticism. Do not fear it, but invite it. For just as iron sharpens iron, so does criticism sharpen truth. And when both leaders and people embrace this, then democracy flourishes like a mighty tree, its roots deep, its branches strong, its fruit enduring for generations. This is the teaching of the ancients, renewed in our age, and passed now into your hands.