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Journalism of Courage
Observing that some sections have “reservations” on the “methods” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to “some misunderstandings”, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said Friday that “the Prime Minister also should often meet more and more sections of the political leadership on this side or that side”.
Addressing a gathering after releasing a book, ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas’, a collection of selected speeches of Prime Minister Modi, Naidu said, “India is now a force to reckon with and able to be heard, the Indian voice is heard. What is said by India, everybody is taking note… In such a short span, it is not an ordinary thing. This is because of his actions, because of the guidance he is giving to the people and because of the progress that India is making. We are once again going to emerge as the third largest, strongest economy in the world.”
“Some sections, despite all these things, have some reservations… (on) the methods of Narendra Modi. It’s all because of some misunderstandings or may be out of political compulsion. Over a period of time, these misapprehensions will also be cleared and the Prime Minister also should often meet more and more sections of the political leadership on this side or that side,” he said.
Urging the Opposition to be “open minded”, he said, “We must all understand that we are only rivals, we are not enemies. Hum ek dusre ke dushman nahin hain.”
All institutions, he said, should be respected. “All parties, they must respect each other. The institution of the Prime Minister, the institution of the President, the institution of the Chief Minister, all institutions, they should be respected. That has to be kept in mind by one and all.” “Political parties, I only give one suggestion. They should expect everybody to be a rival not as an enemy, number one. Then, work hard, try and try, you may win at last… if you don’t have patience, you will become impatient. If you become impatient, you are becoming a patient in the hospital. That is not good for anybody,” Naidu said.
He said political parties should “respect” the mandate of the people. “They have given a mandate. You are not happy with the mandate, go to the people, mobilise them, wait for your turn. That is what is required. This is called tolerance. Tolerance towards the mandate of people is the need of the hour in the Centre, in the state, anywhere. People have given a mandate, you must respect it,” he said.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur and I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra were also present at the event.
