People can see govt is doing its work: Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’
In his Mann ki Baat radio address, the prime minister talked about international day of yoga, the girl child, affordable housing but not Lalit Modi controversy
New Delhi: Unmindful of the political chaos facing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ninth Mann Ki Baat radio programme focused on the recently concluded international yoga day celebrations. The prime minister also talked about the importance of protecting the girl child and asked to start it as a people’s movement across the country.
Without naming the controversy surrounding foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Modi said that sometimes people wanted him to talk about government policies on Mann Ki Baat programme, but he always preferred to choose lighter issues because his government was working hard for the people.
“Till one year ago, there was a feeling in the country that nothing was happening. But now people can see the functioning of the government and the government is doing its work. Government had helped rescue people from Yemen and help was provided in Nepal. Jan Dhan accounts were opened, and the government is on the right track to complete building toilets in 4.5 lakh schools," said Modi in the radio address.
While talking about the number of photographs received by him of people who were on holiday during summer vacations in schools, Modi said that successive governments had never thought that people could play an important role in promoting tourism.
The prime minister also asked professionals working in the field of information technology build a database of people who teach yoga and different schools who are involved in teaching yoga.
He also emphasised that the government was working on the plan to build affordable housing for the poor, and provide houses with electricity and power to the poor by 2022.
Describing Modi’s decision to not address the controversy surrounding Swaraj and Raje as selective silence, political analysts feel that the prime minister or his office should make a statement on these issues.
“This is selective silence by the prime minister. He should confront the issues and make a statement. Either Narendra Modi or the prime minister’s office has to come out and make a statement. This tendency of not addressing crucial issues is not good for democracy and it will not strengthen democracy," said Badri Narayan, political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
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