From the beginning of March, all political life in India has shrunk to a single man and a single question. Should Narendra Modi be asked to go or should he be allowed to stay? There is reason to put the chief minister of Gujarat in the dock. When some 840 people die in communal riots, the man in charge of the state must answer questions about his capability, culpability and intent.

What we are seeing instead is the evil interred in the bones of Indian politics coming to the surface due to Modi's action or inaction. Even as Gujarat continues to simmer, a dangerous game of scoring political points is on. The BJP leadership, much to its shame, has thought it fit to endorse Modi in the wake of its recent electoral defeats in the fond hope that it will recover its lost ground. Modi has unwittingly come to symbolise the rejuvenated Hindutva movement. To his opponents he is the stick with which the Government can be relentlessly beaten.

This week we analyse the furore over Modi and its possible repercussions on Indian politics. The Modi effect can be rolled back if the prime minister decides what he values more: the sentiments of the BJP or the governance and the stability of India. His actions will soon give us an answer.

In keeping with our tradition of tracking current events and staying in sync with cutting-edge technology, this week we launch India Today Mobile News. Readers can now get the latest news headlines from India Today on their mobile phones through SMS. This interactive innovation is a first for an Indian newsmagazine and is part of our drive to keep in step with the worldwide revolution in communications. Through the mobile edition, India Today's brand of credible journalism will go into a 24-hour news cycle and bring breaking news right into readers' pockets. They can access this by dialling one common number, 2424, across India.

Our contents page this week provides a guide on how to connect your mobile phone to India Today Mobile News. Along with catching news as it breaks, readers can also use their phones to take part in instant polls on major issues. Naturally, the first question of our instant poll on India Today Mobile News is about Narendra Modi. Make your voice heard. Send in your vote.

(Aroon Purie)