New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken on the opposition for failing to keep its promises to the people. Speaking to ANI in an interview, the Prime Minister said that politicians need to take ownership of the statements they make to the people.
"I feel that political leadership is becoming questionable. In such a situation, we should remember that we have a tradition of 'Pran Jaye par Vacchan na Jaye'. (You can lose your life but not your word). I believe that politicians should take ownership, they should take responsibility. What I say is my responsibility and I have given the guarantee for that. I also commit and I take ownership. Take the case of Article 370, it has been our party's commitment. When it was my turn, I showed courage and did away with 370. And today, the fate of Jammu and Kashmir has changed," the PM said.
"Triple Talaq. Many things happened to the political leadership, then got scared. People said, why should we trust them? They say one thing and the other. But people started believing. Trust is a very big power. And in a country like India, I consider this trust as my responsibility. And that is why I say this again and again," the PM added.
The Prime Minister said that by saying 'Modi ki guarantee' he was giving the people a guarantee that he would fulfil all his promises.
"As far as the question of guarantee is concerned, today in our country, I feel that politicians are not true to their word. In a way, it seems that...you can say anything you want. You don't have any responsibility. Nowadays, you must have seen nowdays... old videos of one politician are doing the rounds. And his one statement is so contradictory to the other. People watch them together and say... this man used to fool us so much. Now I have heard a politician's speech in which he said 'I will remove poverty in a jiffy'. Now those who got to rule five to six decades, when they say today that I will remove poverty in a jiffy, then people will raise questions," the PM said.
The Prime Minister was referring to Rahul Gandhi's statement at a rally in Rajasthan on March 11, where the Congress leader claimed that he would eradicate poverty in a jiffy by transferring Rs 1 lakh into the account of a poor woman from a household.
The Prime Minister further said that he had big plans once his government was re-elected to power in the Lok Sabha election
"When I say that I have a very big plans in my mind, and I have very big plans, most governments have the habit of saying, we have done everything. I don't believe that I have done everything. I have tried to do as much as possible. I have tried to go in the right direction," the PM said.
"Still, there is a lot that I still have to do. Because I see how much my country needs. Every family's dream, how will that dream come true? This is what I have in my heart. And that is why I say what has happened is a trailer. You liked it. But I want to do a lot more," he said.
The Prime Minister also urged voters to brave the heat and come out and vote. He called on first-time voters to consider the future of the country for the next 25 years and then cast their vote.
