In an interview with Times Now, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
says he intends to strongly project India's strength as a bright star in the world economy when he addresses the World Economic Forum at Davos on Monday. He refutes the opposition's claims that the economy has suffered, saying a comparison with UPA's 10 years will show how gloom has given way to optimism. He says the government's policies are on the right track and that his plans are not tied to any electoral calendar. Excerpts from the conversation with Rahul Shivshankar and Navika Kumar
How would you look back on the three-anda-half years of your term in office? What have you achieved, what is left to do...
Instead of me evaluating my work, it would be better if the people assess. In our country, various elections, which are held frequently, are also considered a criterion. So if you consider that, then we have done better than distinction.
If you look at it from the world's point of view, they have been saying repeatedly that India is a bright spot, doing very well as far as development is concerned. But I would definitely want that the country should see a comparative study of 10 years of UPA with our three-and-a-half or four years in office. It is only then that people will realise the change. I'm very satisfied that the pledge with which we set out, we are on the right track. We're progressing at the right pace and people have faith that we're striving hard to fulfil the expectations and aspirations of the common man. That is the biggest satisfaction.
Govt estimates of GDP growth have pegged it at 6.5% this year while agencies such as the World Bank are optimistic it will rise to 7.3% in the coming year. What will fuel this rise because there are many who have come up with doomsday scenarios?
People who are presenting this scenario are under compulsion, because in politics, it is a blame game and accusations. To blow things out of proportion is common. But for the last three-and-a-half years, we are running a government that is taint-free. There is no major problem that can imperil the government or that the opposition can exploit.
As far as economic growth is concerned, you'll remember that in 2013-14, India was named in the 'fragile five'. It was considered a lost battle. Within three years, India has come out from the 'fragile five' and our economic policy is being seen as a shining star with optimism and expectation. If you take average of three years, we have brought inflation to 3% from 10%. Secondly, FDI, from $30 billion is now over $62 billion. We brought down fiscal deficit to 3.5% from 4.5%, Current account deficit was 4%, we have got it down to between 1 and 2%.
You are the first PM going to Davos in 20 years. Which part of India's growth story will you be presenting at Davos?
This has not happened because of the PM or because of Modi, I don't look at these issues through that lens. This has become possible because India has progressed. India has shown its economic strength to the world, so it is obvious the world wants to know India directly.
I look at this as an opportunity, that when 125 crore Indians received a proper ecosystem, they started blooming. It is my job to tell the world the story of the feats of my countrymen. I'll ensure the world gets to see the true face of India and they get to utilise opportunities India has to offer.
India has jumped 30 places in ease of doing business. But the phrase 'ease of living' is also put forth. How will that become a reality?
India has actually jumped 42 places and not 30 in ease of doing business after we assumed office. My personal belief is that ease of doing business is very good but in a country like India, the ultimate goal should be ease of living. That is why my focus is more on ending struggles of the common man who has to fight the system. The system should be proactive for the needs of the common man.
There is a certain criticism that you introduced Gabbar Singh tax, there is unemployment, no job creation, there is agricultural distress and farmers are dying...
We're making efforts in the direction of one nation one tax. No one has actually opposed GST, theoretically everyone accepts it. GST is a new system that is blooming. I have been saying this since Day One that citizens will take some time to adjust to this system. We'll have to improve wherever there are loopholes. We should make united attempts to help develop this system, be it six months, eight months, a year or two. Everyone should attempt to deliver a product to this nation which will be useful for a longer period.
Employment and farmers?
Such lies are being spread about employment. Everybody agrees the formal sector accounts for 10% of employment and the informal sector accounts for 90%. I will give you statistics for the formal sector put out by independent agencies. EPF is the perfect parameter. In one year, EPF accounts of 70 lakh youth between ages 18 and 25 have been opened. Doesn't this show new employment?
Rate of road construction per day has doubled, it could not have happened without employing more people. Rate of building rail tracks in a day has doubled. Wouldn't that be creating employment? Electrification is also doubled. Work on ports has gathered pace. All our policies have an in-built mechanism to promote employment. Mudra Yojna is creating employment that leads to prestige and entrepreneurship.
Threats to kill and murder are being made. Even about your family, people make very distasteful personal remarks. What do you have to say because this is becoming cyclical?
I believe the country should think about it. I have had to bear so much. I have heard so many things. I don't want God to remind me about those things. I would only say that I hope God gives good sense to all.
You've been trying to improve India's image abroad. But some netas go abroad, tell the Indian diaspora that things are not working well in India. What will you say to those people?
Today, when people enter any airport and place their Indian passport at the immigration counter, there is a sense of pride. This is what everybody says. But if we go out in the world and say something, it's more about revealing the identity of the person than the country's identity.
You had said you will make this country Congress-free. Now, Congress has been reduced to governing four states. Is your slogan of Congress-free India coming true?
My slogan became famous but the sentiment behind it could not be spread because things are said in such a hurry in the flow of politics. Congress has been our country's main pillar of politics that influenced the culture in all political parties. When I talk of Congress-free India, it's not limited to Congress as an organisation. Congress has spread itself as a culture throughout the country.
Casteism, dynasty, corruption and exploitation, treachery and keeping complete control over power. All this became a part of Indian political culture whose main pillar was Congress.
So, when I say Congress-free India, it's not related to election outcomes. I would want that even Congress on its own should free itself of Congress culture. That's what I meant by Congress-free India.
How disappointed were you when you got the triple talaq bill passed in Lok Sabha but not in Rajya Sabha?
I believed that the mistake Congress made during Rajiv Gandhi's regime would have taught them something. So Congress or any party that indulges in vote bank politics must get out of this regressive mindset and think from the point of view of women's empowerment and respect for women. This was not a political move or a move to corner anybody, it was a move to let everyone live with dignity.
The showdown among the judiciary, do you think that it was avoidable?
I think I should stay away from this debate. The government and political parties must also keep out. Our judiciary has a very bright past, they are very capable people, they will sit together and find the solution to their problems.
The opposition was pulling the BJP's highprofile netas into this crisis in the judiciary. Is this is just like when you were Gujarat CM?
The opposition has made several attempts to finish Narendra Modi (politically). I wish them all the best.
But they keep at it, it doesn't end.
The thing is, the path that they are on is what has helped me reach here.
You have talked about simultaneous polls in the country. Why isn't there consensus?
I'm not the first person to talk about this. India is a country where democracy has matured a lot. Before 1967, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections used to be together. If elections are held, then blame games are bound to happen, mudslinging will happen, debates are bound to happen. This is how democracy is.
Imagine it is the festival of Holi. We apply colours, we spoil our clothes, we even throw dirt, paint someone black but that's for a short time. After that, everyone washes up and hugs each other. Even elections must be at a specific time, so that all the mudslinging can be done and then for the rest of the five years we can work. When elections near, politicians start distributing things and they keep competing about it.
I was shocked when the Gujarat elections were held, we calculated that goods worth over four times the budget of Gujarat were put up for distribution. Now if Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held together, the expenditure of the country will be saved, time will be saved and lakhs of security personnel deployed during elections will be spared.
You have been against populism but elections are due next year, isn't there political pressure on you ahead of budget that you should become a little popu
list?
Budget is the property of Parliament. It falls under the ambit of our finance minister, so I don't want to interfere in that. But those who have seen me as CM and also as PM know that I have always maintained the common man does not want all these things. It's a myth. The common man expects honesty, he expects to get what he deserves. He doesn't demand sops and freebies. We run the government, take decisions to fulfil their need and aspirations. And we're tackling obstacles and marching ahead.
What would you tell your critics about the agriculture sector?
This criticism is justified. We can't deny this. It is the responsibility of the country, of state governments, the Union government, my responsibility that the problems faced by our farmers are understood and resolved. Some of our measures have instilled confidence. For example, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is a scheme that gives a lease of life to farmers in distress. Now, farmers have to give only 2%, 98% is given by the Centre and state.
The other thing the farmer needs is electricity and water. We have about 99 schemes in which reservoirs were ready, dam was made but no one paid attention about connecting them to farms and fields. We have undertaken those irrigation projects of which 40 or 50 have been completed and then we will take up more.
We launched a campaign of soil health cards in which soil samples are tested. Crores of farmers have been given this soil health card.
Similarly, farmers had to stand in queue overnight to procure urea. I studied the issue in detail. If I had gone for new factories, it would have taken 3-4 years, so I fixed the existing factories and generated 20 lakh tonnes more urea. I launched a campaign to start factories that were shut down. The third thing I did was neem-coating urea, this stopped diversion. Now I am striving to make solar pumps in farms a reality.
Value addition must be done. If you sell raw mangoes, you get less price, but mangoes that are ripe fetch you more money. If you make pickles out of raw mangoes, it will get you even more money. If the pickle is packaged properly, it gets you even more. And if a celebrity endorses that product, it gets you more. Farmers must be trained in value addition. The focus is also on rural and agro-based industries. Through e-NAM, we have connected over 580 agriculture wholesale markets.
You have an equation with many world leaders, even with President Trump. How much has this contributed, your relations with others, to isolate Pakistan internationally?
If you think India's foreign policy is based on Pakistan, then this is a grave injustice to India. India's foreign policy is based in the context of its relations with the world. It is issue based, our foreign policy is not based around one nation and it shouldn't be. Yes, the world is grappling with the scourge of terrorism and whoever is sympathetic towards terrorists, the world is uniting against them. President Trump has raised his voice against terror with a lot of assertion and I welcome him and I respect him. As far as Pakistan is concerned, I believe, and I have always said, that India and Pakistan have fought a lot, we should come together and fight poverty, come together and fight diseases, and I directly talk to the people of Pakistan. If we fight together, we will win faster, and I tell this to the people of Pakistan.
The Modi doctrine that has emerged was endorsed by your good friend Benjamin Netanyahu. He said your attitude towards terror is that of a hard-power nation. Will you continue with this strong stand?
I am grateful to prime minister Netanyahu for praising India so much and for praising the Indian government so much. Terrorism and the so-called terminology surrounding it, like the words used by you, hard power and soft power... actually, the issue is about humanity.
Humanity is in great danger and to save humanity, it's important for powers that believe in humanitarian values to unite. And I believe this fight is about saving humanity and nothing can be a bigger soft power than this. You have to unite those who believe in humanitarian values, only then can you isolate terrorists and defeat terrorism.
You have appointed an interlocutor in J&K. In that context, if you address the issue of terrorism vis-a-vis humanity, do you think dialogue is the way forward, not just with Pakistan but also internally?
Dialogue does take place with every citizen of India, and it will continue to take place. The Constitution has given us that responsibility and we do it. Every Indian citizen has the right to speak to Mr Modi and say 'Mr Modi please stand and talk to us'. We are there for those who believe in the Constitution and for those who live and die for the nation.
What are your priorities in the remaining 18-month journey to the election?
First of all, I never make my timetable on the basis of elections. My timetable depends on the task of working for the common man and I limit that task to a certain timeframe. Like, the Saubhagya Yojana that I recently introduced. In india, there are 25 crore families approximately. Of these, 4 crore families are still living in darkness. I feel electricity should reach the houses of these 4 crore families. If their homes are lit up, then the child will study and his life will change. When I said that within a year I will make sure that every school and college will have a toilet, I did it. I pick up only those schemes which I can make efforts for. I keep a check on it too, I keep asking about the progress.
Are there any schemes which you think haven't fructified? The ones on which you may have to pay more attention?
I introduced the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. I appealed to our parliamentarians to implement such a scheme in a particular village under their guidance. When we attempted to do it, then our own neta had doubts about it. He spoke against GST and so he tried to speak against this too. Then I feel I should make the MPs understand. But all that we expected hasn't happened.
