New Delhi: In an exclusive interview with a news agency, PM Modi said opposition parties have become “so frustrated that now abusing has become their nature”.
“As far as Modi is concerned, after being continuously abused for the last 24 years, I have become ‘gaali proof’. Who called me the ‘maut ka saudaagar’ and ‘gandi naali ka keeda’? Our party member in the parliament did the calculation and counted 101 abuses, so whether there is election or no election, these people (Opposition) believe that only they have the right to abuse and they have become so frustrated that now abusing has become their nature,” he said, answering a query on personal attacks against him.
PM Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat before he became Prime Minister in 2014. PM Modi rejected allegations of opposition leaders that probe agencies were being misused to suppress them and said his government has told its officers that there will be zero-tolerance towards corruption. “Ask the person who is throwing this garbage, what is the proof of what you are saying?…I will convert this garbage into manure and will produce some good things for the country from it…When Manmohan Singh was in power for 10 years, Rs 34 lakhs were seized and currently in the last 10 years ED has seized Rs 2,200 crores.
The one who has brought back Rs 2,200 crores to the country should be respected and not abused. The one whose money has gone is abusing…It means that whoever has a part in stealing money will shout a little after being caught…Today, a Sarpanch has the right to sign on a chequebook but the Prime Minister of the country does not have it…Modi government has told its officers that my government has zero tolerance towards corruption,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the opposition should be asked about the proof they have over their allegations of interference in the functioning of the central probe agencies. He also said that the government does not interfere in the work of probe agencies.
Asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s allegation that PM Modi decides who will go to the jail, the Prime Minister said, “it would be better if these people read the Constitution, read the law of the country, I do not need to say anything to anyone.”
Prime Minister said there is a feeling of more unity with the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the feeling of belongingness is increasing and the result is visible in the elections and in the increase in tourism.
“Article 370 was the agenda of only four-five families, it was neither the agenda of the people of Kashmir nor the agenda of the people of the country. For their benefit, they had built such a wall of 370 and used to say that if 370 is removed, there will be a fire…Today it has become true that after the removal of 370, there is a feeling of more unity. The feeling of belongingness is increasing among the people of Kashmir and hence its direct result is also visible in elections, tourism,” he said.
Modi government abrogated Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, months after it came to office for the second successive term.
The Prime Minister noted that the people in Kashmir warmly welcomed the delegates during events related to the G20 summit.
Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituencies in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir saw record turnout in Lok Sabha polls held in different phases earlier this month.