Wasn’t Born With the Motive of Etching My Name in History: PM Modi

PM Modi at the Indian diaspora event in London.

(Photo: PTI)

The crowd was delighted to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi among them, and they were certainly elated after he spoke, judging from the frequent bouts of cheering that followed most of his answers.

On an official visit to the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 18 April, addressed the 'Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London, where he spoke about the recent brutal rapes in India and also warned Pakistan against “exporting terror”.

'My Aim Is Not To Etch My Name In History’

When PM Modi found himself in the crosshairs of this oh-so-famous question, he took a long breath before answering:

Modi was never born. He never intended to etch his name in history. I want people to remember me as just another person among the crores of Indians. 

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India

He said that he wants to be remembered as just another citizen of the country, at par with everyone else.

He asserted that he doesn’t want to be remembered as such, but he wants India to be remembered.

‘There Is a Fine Line Between Criticism and Allegations’

When asked about how he handles criticism, PM Modi claimed that criticism is the “beauty of a democracy”, saying that criticism is an important tool in a democracy to keep those in power under check.

But my concern is not criticism or discussion. For that, one needs to conduct fair research to find proper relevant information and facts. But no one has the time for that. People are rushing to break the news. This is when criticism turns into allegations.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India

‘Some People May Think I Manage Stage Shows’

Modi answered a question on which kind of criticism he pays heed too.

He said that it is not so black and white.

He added saying that people have different perspectives on the same thing and they are often contrasting. Using the example of the event, he said that some people might find it wonderful, while a certain fraction might claim that he’s managing a stage show because he fails to answer certain questions in public.

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