New Delhi, August 12: Debunking opposition plans for a grand alliance as “political adventurism” and a “failed idea”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA will get more seats than ever and break all records in the 2019 Lok Sabha battle.
In an interview, Modi condemned incidents of mob lynching as a crime whatever the motives. “We will definitely get more seats than we got the last time and I am confident that we will break all records of the seats won by the NDA in the past.”
He said India’s status had improved globally since the BJP took power, giving the country
“a performing, strong and stable government” after 30 years.
He said a non-ideological alliance of “desperate and disparate groups” was not a ‘mahagathbandhan’ “but political adventurism… a failed idea that has never succeeded” be it in 1979, 1990 and in 1996.
Asked about unease among NDA partners, Modi said the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman’s election, “I am sure, will put the apprehensions of sceptics to rest”. Asked what the government can do to reassure minorities and backward classes amid repeated incidents of lynching in the name of cow protection, the Prime Minister said even a single incident made him ‘very sad’ and needed to be condemned in the ‘strongest voice’.
“I want to make it clear that mob lynching is a crime, no matter the motive.
No person can, under any circumstances, take the law into his or her own hands and commit violence.” He, however, put the onus of stopping such incidents on state governments who need to “take stringent action as per law against the perpetrators of such violence”. The Prime Minister said fake news and incidents arising due to rumour-mongering were also condemnable and the government was actively engaging with digital media platforms and other stakeholders. Modi said the allegations of a scam in Rafale jet deal was an attempt by the Congress to exorcise its Bofors ghost. “It is an honest and transparent deal.” On Pakistan and the relations with the new government-led by Imran Khan that is set to take charge in Islamabad, Modi said: “We hope Pakistan would work for a safe, secure, stable and prosperous region, free from terror and violence.”
On the government’s initiatives to promote the ease of doing business, he said emphasis was on simplifying processes, be it incorporation of a company, induction of a director, or payment of income tax or GST. Based on Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data, more than 45 lakh formal jobs were created between September 2017 to April 2018, Modi said in an
interview Sunday.