'Favour Opportunities Over Assistance For Indian Youth': That, And Other Highlights From PM Modi's Latest Interview

On the occasion of completing two decades in electoral politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a wide-ranging interview with journalist PR Ramesh of Open Magazine, shared his views on an array of issues, and spoke about the political changes India has gone through over these years.

“Detached from the world of power, glamour and glitz”

When asked about the politics in India in the last 74 years, PM Modi said, "All governments formed in our country were fundamentally formed under the leadership of a person from Congress Gotra." He pointed out that Atal Bihari Vajpayee did get an opportunity but didn’t have a full majority, but he considers himself fortunate to become the first non-Congress government with full majority, as the country voted for “complete change” (poorna parivartan).

When asked about his experience of the tumultuous journey and his awe-inspiring life trajectory, PM Modi replied that it is not his own life trajectory that has awed him but the "kind of country we are and our people, who can pick a poor child and make him reach where I have". He reiterated his belief in the tenet of ‘Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva’ (Serving people is akin to serving the divine).

“In the eyes of the world, being prime minister and chief minister may be a very big thing but in my own eyes, these are ways to do something for the people”, said the Prime Minister.

On criticism

In the interview, Prime Minister Modi also spoke of the criticism he faces from his political opponents. He said that he attached great importance to criticism and respected critics a lot. However, the number of critics were few, and today "people only levelled allegations" and that sometimes he “misses critics”.

He highlighted how he thought that people have preconceived notions about him, and even when they observe something different, they still are not able to change their opinions as it takes courage to accept one’s mistakes. PM Modi cited his tenure as chief minister as an example to substantiate his point.

On style of governance

The prime minister said that the earlier governments had only one model — a government that is run to build the next government (sarkar banane ke liye sarkar chalayi jaati hai).

“My fundamental thinking is different. I believe we have to run the Government to build the nation” (desh banane ke liye sarkar chalani hai), to make our country win, said the Prime Minister.

He adds, "While taking decisions, I stop even if the slightest of vested interests is visible to me. The decision should be pure and authentic and if the decision passes through all these tests, then I firmly move forward to implement such a decision."

“There is a problem in the way sections of our political class view the Indian people. They only see Raj Shakti. They do not see the innate Jan Shakti”, he commented.

On farmer’s protest

While lambasting the opposition, PM Modi said that those opposing the new pro-farmers agricultural laws are the same people who wrote letters to the chief ministers asking them to do exactly what their government has done. If you look at those opposing the pro-farmer reforms today, you will see the real meaning of “intellectual dishonesty” and “political fraud”.

"Yet, just because some other political party, blessed by the will of the people, is enacting the same reforms, they have made a complete U-turn and in a brazen display of intellectual dishonesty, completely disregard what will benefit the farmers and only seek what they think will benefit them politically," he added.

As per the Prime Minister, “You can see the same rajneetik dhokhadhadi when it comes to Aadhaar, GST, farm laws and even crucial matters such as arming our security forces. Promise something and make arguments for it but oppose the same thing later without any moral fibre.”

Emphasising on the need for the long-due agricultural reforms, he asserted that big and tough decisions need to be taken.

On India’s vaccination drive

The Prime Minister also boasted about India’s extraordinary success in its vaccination drive and handling of the Covid crisis.

Taking a jibe at those who have criticised the central government’s covid management, he said, “however, we have in our midst vested interests whose only aim is to tarnish India’s name...India has done better than its peers and many developed countries, notwithstanding such negative campaigns.”

"Imagine if our country had not come up with a vaccine. What would be the situation? We know that a large population of the world doesn't have access to Covid vaccines. Today, our success in vaccination is thanks to India being atmanirbhar," PM Modi said in the interview.

On reforms in the economy

“I am grateful to the experts for conceding that measures taken by us for accelerating growth, reforming the economy and governance are steps in the right direction”, and asserted that the people are optimistic about the policies introduced by the BJP government.

While answering a question on balancing the pro-poor and pro-business policies, PM Modi said, “When the Government believes in ‘Sarvajana Hitaya , Sarvajan Sukhaya’, then its approach can never be unidirectional; rather it becomes multidirectional. The things in which you see contradiction, I see an inter-linkage.”

The Prime Minister highlighted “One Nation One Ration Card”, “Digital Revolution”, “Mapping Technologies” and “Ayushman Bharat” etc. during the interview.

‘It is important that every youngster gets opportunities, not assistance that keeps them dependent but the support that makes them self-reliant to fulfil their aspirations with dignity’, asserted the Prime Minister.