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Journalism of Courage
On the eve of the first phase of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stated that the three farm laws were introduced for the benefit of the farmers, but were “repealed in the interest of the nation”.
“I have come to win the hearts of farmers, and did so. I understand the pain of small farmers. I had said that farm laws were implemented for the benefit of farmers but were taken back in national interest,” PM Modi told news agency ANI in an interview.
The first phase will see a total of 58 constituencies across 11 districts going to polls on February 10. The bulk of the seats going to polls in western Uttar Pradesh are Jat dominated. There is anger in the community over the now withdrawn farm laws.
The Prime Minister also exuded confidence of BJP’s victory in the assembly elections in all five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. He stated that the BJP has always functioned with stability, and has been greeted with an atmosphere of pro-incumbency instead of anti-incumbency unlike other parties. “BJP always enters elections with pro-incumbency,” he added.
Speaking on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that claimed eight lives, including those of four farmers, who were allegedly mowed down by an SUV of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, Modi said the state government is working transparently in the matter as it has given its consent for the committee and the judge that the Supreme Court wanted to rope in for investigation.
Further, launching a scathing attack on “dynastic politics”, Modi said it is a “big threat” and the “greatest enemy of democracy”.
“When a party is run for generations by a family, there is only dynasty, not dynamics. Starting from J&K, where there are two parties run by two separate families. You can see a similar trend in Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Dynastic politics is the biggest enemy of democracy,” the Prime Minister said.
Elaborating on his “fake Samajwadi” jibe at the Samajwadi party in poll-bound UP, Modi said these parties were only concerned about “parivarvad”. In his first virtual rally addressing voters of 21 Assembly constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh last month, Modi had targeted Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav, asking the public to compare the ‘clear vision’ of BJP and ‘strong leadership’ of chief minister Yogi Aditiyanath with leaders of ‘fake Samajwad’ and ‘leaders, who just dream.’
Modi, meanwhile, refused to comment on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway security breach in January saying that his remarks might impact the investigation initiated by the Supreme Court into the matter. “I have maintained silence on the issue. The Supreme Court is looking into the matter seriously. Any statement that I make in this regard will impact the investigation, and it is not right,” he said.
Expressing his trust in the judiciary, PM Modi said the apex court will bring out the truth before the nation.
PM Modi also rejected the Opposition parties’ allegation of government misusing probe agencies saying that as elections take place, these agencies will work according to their norms. He further asserted that the government should be lauded as these probe agencies recover national wealth by taking action in corruption cases. He added that the government has no role in the functioning of these agencies.
On being said the Congress claims that the PM maintains silence on issues like unemployment and India-China border row, PM Modi said that he and his government have made elaborate statements in both the Houses of the Parliament regarding matters of national interest.
Taking a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi asked, “How do I reply to a person who does not listen, skips Parliament?”
