| Reprogrammed campaigner Our Special Correspondent |
| Nov. 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made an emotional appeal to the country to give him "only 50 days" to clean up the system so thoroughly that even "the smallest mosquitoes cannot survive". He said he was ready to face any "punishment" if his drive against black money was deemed erroneous or his motives questionable. The comments came as the Congress sent feelers to Mamata Banerjee who is preparing to take to New Delhi her battle against demonetisation. Amid signs of restlessness on the street, the Prime Minister took his strikeback beyond the Opposition and suggested that economists do not read the pulse of the people. Recently, Kaushik Basu, World Bank chief economist now and India's chief economic adviser when the UPA was in power, tweeted that the economics of demonetisation "is complex and the collateral damage is likely to outstrip its benefits". As Modi addressed audiences in Goa's Panaji and Karnataka's Belagavi this morning, he seemed to have returned to the histrionic heights of his 2014 campaign when he was not yet weighed down by the demands of the Prime Minister's office. Modi said in Hindi: "My dear countrymen, I gave up my home, my family, my everything for this country." As he said this, PTI reported, his lips trembled and there were long pauses and he appeared to be fighting back tears. In Panaji, Modi nearly genuflected before the crowd as he sought its blessings. But there was a difference to 2014. His message about targeting the "dishonest" seemed intended not so much for the middle class, with its habitual weakness for anti-corruption crusaders like Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal, as for the poor whom he portrayed as the biggest potential beneficiaries of his efforts. Party sources who have known Modi from Gujarat said he had realised that to win the next election, he must impress the "slums" and "resettlement colonies" that have remained outside the BJP's reach. "To win over this huge target group, he is ready to forgo the votes of the traders and jewellers," a source said. The BJP has traditionally been a favourite with the traders and, later, the neo-middle-class opposed to dynastic politics and corruption. "If the owner of any benami (illegal) property is detected, he will not be spared. Such property is the country's property, the property of the poor. My government exists only to help the poor," Modi said. "That's my sacred duty. And if some people think, 'we'll see about that', let them know that Modi will expose your real face." He warned: "This is not the end for the corrupt: I have many more ideas in mind for them." In Karnataka, where Modi attended a Lingayat event, he said: "I'm speaking to villagers here. You people (Modi's critics), sitting in air-conditioned rooms, given to tearing my hair out day in and day out, see, these are villagers who are educated, hardworking and honest. I salute them a hundred times." In Goa, where he launched three projects and kicked off the campaign for the state elections, it seemed as though Modi was seeking a second mandate for himself. "Give me time till December 30. If you find flaws, mistakes (in the drive), if you find my motives were not selfless, I'm ready to stand at whatever crossing you want me to and take whatever punishment you hand me," he said. "But I'm certain that the process will keep moving forward, because there are 800 million youths whose fates stand at the crossroads." Modi projected himself as the "honest" loner, an "outsider" to the political system who wanted to turn existing systems on their head at the risk of being "destroyed" by the "forces" ranged against him. He aimed a jab at economists and a harder one at the Nehru-Gandhis without naming them. "I took an important step but there are some who are lost in their thoughts. They judge people by their own yardsticks. If India's economists really read the people's pulse and did not use the scales with which politicians of an older generation were measured, they would have understood that our government was elected on the strength of high expectations," he said. He asked the Panaji gathering: "Did you or did you not vote for a government that would extinguish corruption? Did you not ask me to get the black money out? Should I have done what I have or not?" Attacking the Congress and the Gandhis, Modi said: "Those who want to do politics can, because they have already looted the country. Those who hurl baseless charges can continue doing so. But this is not about ahankaar. It is because I have seen bad things from up close. So I understand the pain and problems people have." Although the BJP has showcased the demonetisation drive as a party project, it has become obvious that Modi is out to identify himself with the issue and propagate its "merits", leaving finance minister Arun Jaitley to explain the basics and clear technical misconceptions. With the Opposition bracing to challenge Modi on the subject in the winter session of Parliament, which begins on November 16, the Prime Minister resorted to his tried rhetorical tactic of seeking popular endorsement. In Panaji and Belagavi, he exhorted the audiences to stand up and clap to signify that their blessings were with him. They did. |
NOV
13
Forces against me, may not letme live, I am prepared: NaMo in Goa (1:50:03). Jeevema s'aradah s'atam,NaMo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h52oPQPi5xI PM Modi lays the foundation stone for New Green Field International Airport A digitally trained, modern and youth driven Goa is being shaped today. This has the power to transform India: PMI was not born to sit on a chair of high office. Whatever I had, my family, my home...I left it for the nation: PMTalking about the Airport project, the Prime Minister said he is happy that the promise made by former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is being fulfilled. He said this will benefit Goa, and give an impetus to tourism. Referring to the Electronic City project, he said a digitally trained, modern and youth driven Goa is being shaped today, which has the power to transform India.Referring to the recent decision of the Union Government on demonetization of Rs. 500 and Rs. 2000 currency notes, the Prime Minister said that on 8th November many people of India slept peacefully, while a few are sleepless even now. He said the Union Government has taken a key step to help the honest citizens of India, in defeating the menace of black money. The Prime Minister thanked all those who have been contributing to ensuring the success of the demonetization exercise. He said he also feels the pain, and these steps taken were not a display of arrogance. He said that he has seen poverty, and understands people’s problems. He recalled that in 2014, people had voted to free the nation from corruption. He also mentioned the various steps that have been taken by the Union Government to curb black money. The Prime Minister said that if any money has been looted in India and has left Indian shores, it is our duty to find out about it. He said that he was not born to sit on a chair of high office, adding that whatever he had, including his family, and his home, he had left to serve the nation.
More projects lined up to finish corruption, Modi says |
| Panaji, Nov. 13 (PTI): Scrapping the old 1000- and 500-rupee notes to flush out black-money was just the beginning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated on Sunday he has “more projects” in mind to rid the country of corruption and was ready to face the consequences as forces are “up against me” with their 70 years of loot being in trouble. ”This is not an end. I have more projects in mind to make India corruption-free. .... Cooperate with me and help me for 50 days and I will give you the India you desired,” Modi said, five days after springing demonetisation on the people. Modi was here to lay the foundation stone of a new airport at Mopa and launch work on electronic city project in Goa. "We will take action against 'benami' property; This is major step to eradicate corruption and black money ... If any money that was looted in India and has left Indian shores, it is our duty to find out about it,” he said. ”I know that (some) forces are up against me, they may not let me live, they may ruin me because their loot of 70 years is in trouble, but I am prepared,” Modi said in a speech which saw him getting emotional a few times. He said the people voted against corruption in 2014. “I am doing what I was asked to do by the people of this country and it had become clear from the very first meeting of my Cabinet when I formed the SIT (on black money). We never kept the people in dark.” Hitting out at previous governments, the Prime Minister said they “neglected this ...we took a key step to help honest citizen to defeat the menace of graft.” |
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