We have already crossed majority mark, now moving towards 400-plus: PM Modi

PM Modi brushed aside the allegation that he was seeking a ‘super majority’ to change the Constitution as “fresh falsehood” being spread by opposition after “failure” of its campaign on the purchase of Rafale fighters five years ago.
“Earlier, their trick used to work sometimes, but today, in the age of social media, their lies get exposed within minutes.They lied on Rafale, they lied on HAL, they were caught. India knows who wants to change the Constitution. Who had conspired to end democracy through Emergency?” Modi said in an interview with Hindi daily Navbharat Times.
Modi also rejected allegations levelled by Arvind Kejriwal and others that the Centre has been misusing central agencies, including ED, against opposition. Not a single such case has been proved to be based on false charges, he said, adding the Delhi CM has lost his credibility. “After coming out on bail for a few days, he (Kejriwal) has been further exposed. He and his people (AAP netas) are making mistakes, and blaming BJP. But public knows the truth,” he said.
Describing the rise in voting percentage in Kashmir as the most gratifying part of the polls, he said, “I am satisfied that steps we have taken for the better future of J&K are yielding positive results.”

‘We have already crossed majority mark, now moving towards 400-plus’
The voting percentage has not been as expected. Can BJP win more than 400 seats even if voting is less? Who are these voters who are not leaving their homes?
PM: It is very important for any democracy that people participate actively in voting. This is a bigger issue than the victory or defeat of any party. In my rallies through the country, I am appealing to people to vote. I tell them to consider voting as an obligation and fulfil it. As for BJP’s prospects… after four phases of elections, we have achieved the majority mark. Now the fight is only for crossing the 400-mark. Experts can go on analysing, but if they take care to see BJP’s chemistry with voters, they will realise that the slogan of crossing 400 is going to become a reality.

Voting percentage increased in Kashmir. What is the message of increased voting in Kashmir?
■ For me, the most gratifying part of the current polls is the rise in voting percentage in Kashmir. Pictures of people queuing up outside polling stations there are so energising. I am satisfied that the steps we have taken for the better future of Jammu & Kashmir are yielding positive results. After Srinagar, we have seen bumper voting in Baramulla also. Every Kashmiri is feeling relieved after seeing changes post-370 (abrogation). The people there have understood that they were being cheated all these years under the guise of Article 370. For decades, the people of Jammu & Kashmir were kept away from development. The people there were troubled by corruption but lacked options because of the control of dynastic parties. Today, people there are voting for development without any fear or pressure.

What difference do you feel in the elections and campaign of 2024 as compared to 2014 and 2019?
■ When I went among the people in 2014, I got the opportunity to know their expectations. They wanted change, development. In 2019, I saw the glow of confidence in people’s eyes. That confidence came from the work of our govt in those five years. I realised that people’s aspirations have expanded in the period. They now have bigger dreams about their families, and also about the country. The last five years have been one of rapid growth and big decisions. It has affected the life of every person. Now, when I am campaigning in the 2024 elections, I see a determination in the eyes of people. This is the resolution of developed India. This is the resolution of corruption-free India. This is the resolve of a strong India; 140 crore Indians are confident that their dreams can be fulfilled only under the BJP govt, hence there is unprecedented enthusiasm among the public about the third innings of our govt.

What do you consider to be the biggest achievement of the last 10 years and how are you preparing yourself for the third term?
■ In the last 10 years, our govt has taken many major decisions related to economy, social justice, welfare of the poor and national interest. Our actions have impacted people of every class and every community. If you analyse different areas, you will come to know about our achievements and how people have been affected by them. I am very satisfied that we were able to bring 25 crore people out of poverty. We were able to provide houses, toilets, electricity, water, gas connections and free treatment facilities to crores of people. They had not even imagined these changes in their lives. We have given them the right to live with dignity and the courage to stand on their own feet, also the belief that their children will not have to go through what they suffered. We also made efforts to empower female members of the household. Women have become financially strong through schemes like Lakhpati Didi, Drone Didi.
When our reporters travelled across the country, one thing that emerged was that people everywhere talked about employment and inflation. What will you do for the youth in the first 100 days after winning? Would you like to give any assurance to the youth on the employment front?
■ In the last 10 years, we have been successful in keeping inflation under control. During UPA’s time, inflation rate used to be in double digits. Today, there is a situation of war in different corners of the world. These circumstances have affected the country’s economy and inflation. We gave priority to the interests of the people and did not allow the price of petrol and diesel to go up. If the price of petrol and diesel had increased, everything would have become expensive.
Today, poor families get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in the best hospitals. Due to Jan Aushadhi Kendras, there has been 70-80% relief in the cost of medicines. Be it knee surgery or heart operation, the cost of everything has reduced by more than half. Today, loan rates are the lowest in the country. If you want to buy a car or a house, then easy and cheap loan is available. Personal loan was never this easy in the country. Farmers are getting bags of urea and fertiliser at 10 times lower prices than the world’s price. Many new employment opportunities have been created in the last 10 years. Lakhs of youths have got govt jobs. New employment opportunities have been created in the private sector. According to EPFO, 6 crore new members have joined it in the last seven years. Periodic Labour Force Survey data shows that unemployment rate, which was 6% in 2017, has come down to 3%. The youth now have opportunities to progress in the space sector, drone sector, gaming sector also. The digital revolution in the country has also created opportunities for the youth. Today, data is so cheap in India and that is why the creator economy of the country is growing. Today, there are more than 1.25 lakh startups in the country, which are creating a large number of employment opportunities. We have prepared an action plan for the first 100 days of our govt, in which we have added 25 more days separately for the youth. We are considering the suggestions of youth coming from all over the country, and after the results, work on it will start rapidly.

Foreign policy has been very important during both your tenures. At present, the world is going through a lot of ups and downs. The G7 summit is scheduled immediately after the election results. How do you see India’s role in the new situation?
■ Perhaps this is the first election in which India’s foreign policy is being discussed so much. That is because India’s reputation has grown in the last 10 years. Every Indian feels proud when the country’s reputation rises. India became a strong voice of the Global South in the G20 summit, now India’s role in the G7 is going to be very important. Today, every country in the world knows that India has a strong govt.
We have kept our national interest paramount in our foreign policy. Today, when we are at the trade agreement table, the other side instantly realises that it is having to deal with a new India. Initially, they were surprised but have now accepted the reality of new India, an India full of confidence. India has strongly told countries engaged in military confrontation that this is not the time for war. Today, the world believes that India’s progress is good for the entire world and humanity.

BJP’s entire campaign is focused on you. Has this reduced the importance of MPs and reduced the incentive for them to cultivate their constituents because they can now hope to win only through Modi magic?
■ This is the opposition’s propaganda. BJP works like a team. Every member of this team is working hard to win the elections. Every party worker is as important as the PM in the campaign. True, as PM, I definitely go to connect with the public, but people connect with us only through the MP candidate. I am going to the people with the national vision and am giving the guarantee of fulfilling it, while our MP candidate is giving the assurance of fulfilling local aspirations.

You got the women’s reservation bill passed. Will we see this implemented by the new govt?
■ This question has emerged from the disappointing experience of Congress rule, when laws were made but it took years to get notified. Nari Shakti Vandan Act has an important role in the roadmap we have prepared for the next five years. We are committed to giving rights to half the country’s population. A new era of women’s empowerment will begin with increasing participation of women in Parliament and legislative assemblies of the country.

The political situation in Maharashtra has become very complicated. Will NDA be able to repeat the record of the last two times?
■ The situation in Maharashtra has, in fact, become simple. People have to choose between dynastic parties and a grand alliance dedicated to the development of the country. Shiv Sena, which is the real inheritor of Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology, is with us. People are seeing that the fake Shiv Sena has abandoned its core ideas and joined hands with Congress. Similarly, NCP has associated itself with us for the development of Maharashtra and the country. Now, the NCP of Maha ‘Vinash’ Aghadi is only asking for votes to take his (Sharad Pawar) family forward. People are also seeing that the INDI coalition has already accepted defeat. Now, he (Pawar) is talking about merging with Congress to save his existence after the elections. Voting for such people is wasting your vote. This time, we are going to break our previous record in Maharashtra.
BJP has made a lot of efforts in West Bengal. Last time, BJP was successful in winning 18 seats. How difficult is this state for you compared with others and what is your expectation this time?
■ Be it TMC, Congress or Left, all of them have committed the same sins in Bengal. People in Bengal have understood that these parties have only slogans and no vision for development. Once, people from other states used to come to Bengal for employment, today people from all over Bengal are forced to migrate. The public is also seeing that parties that are contesting against each other in Bengal are seen together in Delhi. There can be no bigger deception than this. This is the reason why INDI Alliance is not able to win the trust of the people. The people of Bengal have been tolerating corruption, violence, anarchy, mafia and appeasement for a long time. TMC’s identity has become that of a scam govt, which has crushed the dreams of the youth to fill its coffers. The situation there is that even after getting a govt job, the youth are not sure whether their job will remain or will be lost. People are completely disappointed with the current govt in Bengal. Now, the development model of BJP is in front of them. Wherever I went in Bengal, I saw unprecedented confidence in BJP among the people. Especially in Bengal, I saw that I was getting a lot of love from women. Whenever I meet women, they become emotional, I too am not able to control my emotions. We will win more seats than before in Bengal this time.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had to go to jail in the liquor scam case. He says ED has framed him and that no money has been recovered from him till now.
■ Have you ever come across an accused who has acknowledged perpetrating a scam? Or one who says that police rightly arrested him? If the agencies framed him, why did he (Kejriwal) not get relief from the court? The opposition, which has accused ED and the agencies, has till date not been able to prove that even a single allegation against them was false. He came out on bail for a few days but has got further exposed. He and his people are making mistakes and are blaming BJP. But people know their reality. His words no longer have any credibility.

This time, Congress and AAP are contesting elections together in Delhi. Can this cause any problem for BJP in winning the seven seats thrice in a row? This time, you have changed six candidates.
■ INDI Alliance parties are fighting a losing battle in Delhi. They are facing an existential crisis. After the polls, there will be no such thing as INDI Alliance left. The people of Delhi had ousted Congress long ago, now they want to survive by joining hands with other parties. Did anyone ever think that the day would come for Congress, which ruled the country for so long, that members of its ‘first family’ would vote for some other candi date and not for their own party? The parties of INDI Alliance in Delhi are distinguished by two features: they are corrupt and lie shamelessly. They try to manipulate public sentiment and make false promises. People are very intelligent today, they will decide. BJP has fielded its candidates keeping in mind the interest of people. In BJP, no Lok Sabha seat is considered a leader’s property. The party takes decisions according to what is appropriate in the public interest. For us, politics is a medium of service. This is the reason why our workers do not get disappointed that their ticket has been cut, rather they engage in serving the public with full dedication.

Prime Minister, you are the MP from Kashi. You have promoted Kashi a lot in the last 10 years. Today, Kashi is becoming the most preferred tourism destination in the country. The infrastructure work done by you has also brought a lot of change in Banaras. How do you see the impact of this on the economy and employment situation of Banaras and Purvanchal?
■ Kashi is a wonderful city. On one hand, it is the oldest city in the world. It has been revered in the Puranas. On the other hand, it is also the economic nucleus of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In the last 10 years, we have developed religious tourism in Kashi a lot. We focused on city streets, cleanliness, facilities in markets, train and bus arrangements. We created many facilities for passengers from the station to different places in the city. After all this, when we set out to promote Banaras, there was a strong desire among devotees across the country to see the new Kashi. Now, many times more tourists come here than earlier. This created new employment opportunities in the entire city. We have started bringing industries to Banaras. A new campus of TCS has been built, Banas Dairy has been built, Trade Facilitation Centre has been built, new machines are being given to weavers of Kashi, youth have got Mudra loans. This gave a new impetus to the economy not only of Banaras but also of many surrounding districts.
The opposition says democracy is in danger and if BJP wins, we will remain a democracy only in form.
■ Congress and its ecosystem have come out to contest elections on the basis of lies and rumours. Their trick would work earlier but today, in the age of social media, its lies get exposed within minutes. They lied on Rafale, they were caught. They lied on Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, they got caught. The public no longer takes them seriously. The country knows who wants to change the Constitution. Who had conspired to end the country’s democracy through Emergency? The Constitution was changed the maximum number of times during the tenure of Congress. They changed the original copy of the Constitution for appeasement. Congress curbed the freedom of expression through the first amendment. In 60 years, Congress repeatedly attacked the basic spirit of the Constitution and dismissed many state govts one after the other. Congress holds the record for imposing President’s rule the maximum number of times. They want to destroy the Constitution because it is an obstacle to their real intentions. You see, the framers of the Constitution had opposed reservation on the basis of religion. But Congress has repeatedly tried to bring it to please its vote bank. After several failed efforts, they implemented it at the cost of OBCs. The leaders of Congress and INDI Alliance shed tears for democracy, but reality is that they use all their strength to crush democracy and suppress the voice of the people.
You look very fit. What’s the secret of your health, your routine from morning till night?
■ I believe that I have been greatly blessed by some divine power, which has made me a medium for public welfare. Over the years, my belief has strengthened that God has chosen me to fulfil a special responsibility. He is also giving me the strength to complete it. The feeling of serving people gives me energy.