NewZNew (Chandigarh) : For those who missed out watching the most free-wheeling, twitter record setting, no-holds barred, 85 minute interview of the Prime Minister, TIMES NOW will telecast ‘Frankly Speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’ on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, July 3, 2016 at 12 Noon.
In his first one-on-one interview to a private news channel after being elected as the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi addressed all issues; from Foreign Policy and GST to drawing the Lakshman Rekha while dealing with Pakistan and India’s relation with China to shedding light on his humorous side, during the course of the exclusive interview in his unique candid manner.
On being asked the manner in which India can build its relations with United States of America and the underlying message of Pakistan’s growing proximity with them, Prime Minister Modi simply made a small request and stated, “I would especially like to appeal to my country’s media that we should stop looking at everything in India from the prism of Pakistan. India is an independent country. It is a country of 125 crore people. Whenever it approaches any country, it will only be concerned about its own interests. It has been our biggest shortcoming and mistake that we have been tagging ourselves with another country and trying to do things. We are an independent country; we have our own policies and future. We have to think about the future of our 125 crore people. There should be no compromise on our interests. We have relations with America in the context of these fundamental points.”
In his penchant to rake up key issues, TIMES NOW Editor in Chief, Arnab Goswami, took the opportunity to probe the controversies surrounding the GST Bill. To clear the air about the GST Bill, Prime Minister Modi stated, “First we need to understand that we look at GST only within the purview of an economic reform because of which the right information doesn’t come out.”
He further added, “Not having GST straight away means loss for the poor of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Not passing the GST would mean loss for the poor people of poor states like Bengal, Orissa and Assam. People who sit in the Rajya Sabha must understand this. GST is beneficial for the poor people of the states represented by them, because those states will economically benefit the most from GST. The money will be used for the welfare of the poor people of those states.”
Taking a cue from the GST Bill conversation and connecting it to his economic agenda for India, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi said, “The first point in our philosophy is to reach the last man in the line. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s philosophy forms the core of our political, economic and social ideology. And even Mahatma Gandhi used to say that what is there for the last man? So my development parameter is very simple. It is about how the poorest of the poor can benefit from development. The poor is the central focus of my economic agenda.”
As India reels from the exit of Raghuram Rajan, Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Prime Minister Modi heaped praises on him and said, “I believe Raghuram Rajan’s patriotism is no less than any of ours. It will be doing injustice to him if one says that he will serve the country only if he is at a particular post. As much as I know Raghuram Rajan, whatever post he holds, wherever he is, he is someone who will continue to serve the country.”
Rounding off the interview, Prime Minister Modi raised his concern over the crisis plaguing the farmers of India while stressing on the water management system and the schemes of his government that solely focus on the water issues of the country.
Catch the Prime Minister in this elaborate and frank interview exclusively on
‘Frankly Speaking’ on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, July 3, 2016 at 12 Noon only on TIMES NOW!
