NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said India has been a success as a democracy, thanks to its vibrant institutions, leading to global laurels but some people are trying to discredit the country for being unable to stomach its success story.
“When the country is full of confidence and resolve, and intellectuals of the world are optimistic about India, talk of pessimism, showing the country in poor light and hurting the morale of the country also takes place,” the PM said, in what was seen by many as riposte to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks where he spoke about the international community being oblivious about the erosion of democracy in India.
‘Govt won’t step back on graft cases against netas’
The PM, who was speaking at the India Today Conclave, however, suggested that it (talk of pessimism) should not be allowed to be a distraction amid the country’s achievements. “When something auspicious happens, there is a tradition to apply ‘kaala tika’, so when so many auspicious things are happening, some people have taken the responsibility to apply this ‘kaala tika’,” he said referring to the tradition where people put a black ‘tika’ on the forehead of children to protect them from evil spirits. Modi said India has shown the world that democracy can deliver. He said, “The success of India’s democracy and its institutions is hurting some people and that is why they are attacking it.”
He also appeared to take a swipe at the family outfits saying that the country’s progress was retarded by a few families who, because of their narrow outlook, could not summon either the dynamism or the creative vision needed to ensure rapid growth.
Hitting out at the opposition parties protesting against the actions being taken by the investigating agencies, the PM said that before 2014, the headlines used to be scams and corruption and the headlines now are that the corrupt have joined hands and are protesting on roads.
The PM said the media had grabbed TRPs by highlighting the cases of corruption and they should not shy away from highlighting the action being taken against the corrupt. “You need not do the balancing … need not be intimidated … you should show the action being taken with same fervour,” Modi said making it clear that the government is not going to step back on cases of corruption against political leaders, which has led to a turmoil in the opposition camp that is alleging “misuse” of federal agencies.
Without taking any name, he made a veiled attack on the Gandhi-Nehru family for India’s slow pace of development, saying, “Lack of vision of a particular family slowed the pace of country’s development… Earlier, the poor wanted to come out of poverty but it could not happen.”
Modi lauded the strength of the country’s various institutions which, he noted, have led to increasing participation of people in elections, successful conduct of many polls during Covid-19, strong economy and banking system amid a global crisis and administration of more than 220 crore vaccine doses against the coronavirus. “The world realises that India’s ideas and capabilities are for the global good. That is why the world is saying that this is India’s moment,” he said.
“When the country is full of confidence and resolve, and intellectuals of the world are optimistic about India, talk of pessimism, showing the country in poor light and hurting the morale of the country also takes place,” the PM said, in what was seen by many as riposte to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks where he spoke about the international community being oblivious about the erosion of democracy in India.
‘Govt won’t step back on graft cases against netas’
The PM, who was speaking at the India Today Conclave, however, suggested that it (talk of pessimism) should not be allowed to be a distraction amid the country’s achievements. “When something auspicious happens, there is a tradition to apply ‘kaala tika’, so when so many auspicious things are happening, some people have taken the responsibility to apply this ‘kaala tika’,” he said referring to the tradition where people put a black ‘tika’ on the forehead of children to protect them from evil spirits. Modi said India has shown the world that democracy can deliver. He said, “The success of India’s democracy and its institutions is hurting some people and that is why they are attacking it.”
He also appeared to take a swipe at the family outfits saying that the country’s progress was retarded by a few families who, because of their narrow outlook, could not summon either the dynamism or the creative vision needed to ensure rapid growth.
Hitting out at the opposition parties protesting against the actions being taken by the investigating agencies, the PM said that before 2014, the headlines used to be scams and corruption and the headlines now are that the corrupt have joined hands and are protesting on roads.
The PM said the media had grabbed TRPs by highlighting the cases of corruption and they should not shy away from highlighting the action being taken against the corrupt. “You need not do the balancing … need not be intimidated … you should show the action being taken with same fervour,” Modi said making it clear that the government is not going to step back on cases of corruption against political leaders, which has led to a turmoil in the opposition camp that is alleging “misuse” of federal agencies.
Without taking any name, he made a veiled attack on the Gandhi-Nehru family for India’s slow pace of development, saying, “Lack of vision of a particular family slowed the pace of country’s development… Earlier, the poor wanted to come out of poverty but it could not happen.”
Modi lauded the strength of the country’s various institutions which, he noted, have led to increasing participation of people in elections, successful conduct of many polls during Covid-19, strong economy and banking system amid a global crisis and administration of more than 220 crore vaccine doses against the coronavirus. “The world realises that India’s ideas and capabilities are for the global good. That is why the world is saying that this is India’s moment,” he said.
.JPG)
