PM Modi spoke on range of issues during 'Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath' event in London.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London on Wednesday, talked about various issues. The prime minister opened up and spoke on different topics like terrorism, surgical strike, people’s role in democracy, rape cases and women safety, opposition parties and the issue of development.
The interaction, which lasted for more than two hours, saw Modi highlighting achievements of his government in the past about four years to build electoral momentum for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Here's few top quotes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his interaction with the Indian diaspora at Central Hall in London’s Westminster on Wednesday.
Surgical strike
Warning Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that India will not tolerate those who like to export terror and will respond to them "in the language they understand", as he referred to the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the LoC.
The prime minister choked with emotion on seeing the speech impaired elderly man ask the question on the strikes with the help of a person, and lauded him for his strength and conviction.
The prime minister, during the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London, said when "someone has put a terror export factory in place and makes attempts to attack us from the back, Modi knows how to answer in the same language".
Referring to the Uri terror strike, Modi said: "We will not tolerate those who like to export terror and those who try to stab at the back.
We know how to give back strong answers and in the language they understand. Some cowards come and kill our jawans. Do you want me to stay quiet? Shouldn't they be replied in the same coin?"
"The surgical strike was an answer to the exporters of terrorism, sending message (to Pakistan) that India has changed and their antics will never be tolerated. I am proud of my soldiers. The soldiers executed the surgical strike without making a single mistake and with 100 per cent perfection. And they returned before sunrise," Modi said.
He said he had told the Army to announce the strikes to media after informing Pakistan. He said Pakistani authorities were initially hesitant to take the calls but came on line around 12 noon the next day after which the media was informed about them.
"...And look at our good intention. I told the army officer in-charge that before announcing the news in India, he should inform the Pakistan army first about the strike and they may remove the bodies if they want to," he added.
Watch Video: What PM Modi said on surgical strike
Rape case in country
Amid a nationwide outrage over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "rape is rape" and should not be politicised.
The prime minister said, "We always ask our daughters about what they are doing, where they are going. We must ask our sons too."
The person who is committing these crimes is also someone's son, he said.
"I have never indulged in counting the number of rape incidents in this government and that government. Rape is rape, be it now or earlier. It is extremely sad. Don't politicise rape incidents," the prime minister said.
The rape of a daughter is a matter of shame for the country, he said.
Referring to outrage over rape incidents, Modi said: "A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters?"
He said comparing statistics of rapes in different governments was a worse way to deal with the issue and referred to his speech from the the Red Fort where he said people need to teach their sons to treat girls with respect.
Watch Video: What PM Modi said on rape cases in country
Development
"People know that when they say something, the Government will listen and do it. Days of incremental change are over," Prime Minister Modi said while speaking at the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster here.
He said days of incremental change are over and Indians have become more aspirational under the BJP-led government at the Centre, taking a dig at the previous governments and their governance of making people dependent on the state.
PM Modi during Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath event in London.
Modi also said that people have more expectations from his government because they know that it can deliver.
Modi said a wrong tendency had developed over the years of people getting overly dependent on the government.
"Mahatma Gandhi made the struggle of freedom a people's movement. I am making development a people's movement," he said.
He said people have more expectations from the BJP-led government as they have faith that it can deliver.
Modi referred to his government's initiatives including Ayushman Bharat and doubling farmers income by 2022.
Watch Video: What PM Modi said on development
Congress
He took several digs at the opposition, particularly the Congress, and said that the pace of work of his government was much faster than of the previous UPA government.
PM Modi accused the Congress of promoting legacy of one family and said many people of the country were not aware of contribution of Lord Basaveshwara.
Also read: Criticism good for democracy, but allegations are dangerous: PM Modi in London
Modi took veiled potshots at Congress President Rahul Gandhi. "I do not need to read books to understand poverty. I have lived in poverty, I know what it is to be poor and belong to the backward sections of society. I want to work for the poor, the marginalised and the downtrodden," he said.
Foreign policy
Referring to the foreign policy, Modi said India was dealing with all countries in the world on equal terms and was taking independent decisions in its dealings with countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran. He said India has made its place in international fora and was setting the agenda.
Personal life
He said he was not born with an aim to be in history books and that 125 crore people of India were his family. "I am like any common citizen."
Referring to his personal life, Modi said: My life at the Railway Station taught me so much. It was about my personal struggles. When you said Royal Palace, it is not about me but about the 125 crore people of India," he said. Replying to a question the secret of his energy, PM Modi, in a lighter vein, said " Pichle do dashak se ...lagbhag 20 saalon se ...main roz 1kg, 2kg gaaliyan (abuses) khata hoon."
Watch Video: What PM Modi said about his personal life
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
