From NRC issue to lynching incidents to Indo-Pak relations: Top 5 takeaways from PM Modi's interview

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke about unemployment, job creation and touched upon the issues of Goods and Services Tax (GST), National Register of Citizens (NRC), crime against women, and Indo-Pak relations and wished for a safe, secure, stable and terror-free relations in an interview to a news agency. Modi gave assurance that no Indian citizen will get excluded from the NRC draft. He also spoke about the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ for the upcoming 2019 general elections in the interview to ANI.

ALSO READ: PM Modi wishes for 'good neighbourly relations' with Pakistan

Here are the top 5 takeaways from the Narendra Modi's latest speech:

1.  On employment creation

PM Modi: When economy is growing at a faster pace, in fact fastest among the major economies, how will the jobs market not expand? When investment into and the pace of execution of infrastructure projects like making roads, laying down rail lines, setting up power generation including solar parks and transmission lines is at all-time high, how come the jobs will not be created. From just 2 mobile manufacturing units in 2014 we have grown to 120. When such development in electronic manufacturing is taking place, will it not create jobs?

Today, India has emerged as one of the top hubs of start-ups. Are they not creating jobs? More than 13 crore MUDRA loans have been given to our hardworking entrepreneurs. I have been told that over 3.5 crore of these loans have been given to first time entrepreneurs. Does every loan not create additional employment opportunities?

2.  On Goods and Services Tax (GST)

PM Modi: Opposition to GST is not from all the Opposition Parties. Only a few who have been continuously rejected by the masses are making baseless points. They not only want to misguide but also indulge in opposing for the sake of opposing. Whether it is Yoga, Ayushman Bharat, Swachh Bharat, NRC, surgical strikes, their conduct is for everyone to see. As for Gabbar Singh Tax, people who have seen only dacoits around them will naturally think of dacoits only!

Have they ever thought why people accepted GST wholeheartedly? The Congress President spoke about Surat in Parliament. He tried his best to provoke people against GST during Gujarat elections, why did the people reject him? It must not be forgotten that people of this country particularly, the business community have supported GSTand adopted it whole-heartedly. People have responded positively as it brings lot of benefits to them and to the economy. Around 350 crore invoices were processed and 11 crore returns were filed in 1 year. Doesn’t this show wide-spread public acceptance?

3.  On NRC issue and Mamata Banerjee

PM Modi: Only those who have lost faith in themselves, fear loss of popular support and lack faith in our Institutions can use words like ‘civil war’, ‘blood bath’ and ‘Desh Ke Tukde Tukde.’ Evidently, they are disconnected from the pulse of the nation. As far as Mamata ji’s stand is concerned, she should remember what she said on the floor of the Parliament in 2005. Was that Mamata ji correct or is this Mamata ji correct?

The Congress is also playing politics over the NRC. The roots of the NRC go back three decades, when Mr. Rajiv Gandhi had to bow to public pressure and sign the Assam Accord. Since then Assam voted Congress several times but the party did nothing about it and kept misleading the people.  Congress knew a problem exists but allowed it to fester for decades because they were guided by vote bank politics. I want to assure the people that no citizen of India will have to leave the country. As per the due process, all possible opportunities will be given to get their concerns addressed.

4.  On crime against women and lynching

PM Modi: It would be a great travesty to reduce these incidents to mere statistics and then indulge in politics over them. That shows a kind of perverse mindset that looks at violence and criminality as something to be milked, instead of unitedly opposing. Even a single incident is one too many and deeply unfortunate. Everyone should rise above politics to ensure peace and unity in our society. My party and I have spoken in clear words, on multiple occasions against such actions and such a mindset. It is all on record. Also, we are people who go beyond just words. Look at the actions of our Home Ministry to see how we have acted against violence.

Soon after I assumed office, I had said from the ramparts of the Red Fort that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the dignity of women, whether Government, Society, Family or Individual. At the level of Government, we have gone to the extent of making provisions of capital punishment in certain category of crimes against women. You might have noted that results in terms of quick disposal of such cases leading to even capital punishment have started coming in. Let there be no doubts about the will of my Government to implement the Rule of Law in its true letter and spirit.

5.  On Indo-Pak relations and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf

PM Modi: I have always said that we wish to have good neighbourly relations. We have also taken various initiatives in this regard. I recently congratulated Mr. Imran Khan on his victory in the elections. We hope that Pakistan would work for a safe, secure, stable and prosperous region, free from terror and violence.