PM Modi's interview with ANI: Full transcript

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi answered wide-ranging questions in an exclusive interview with ANI. Here is the full transcript.
PM MODI: Namaskar. I wish you a very happy Navratri. In a few days, the country will celebrate Ram Navami. I wish you a very happy Ram Navami.
ANI: You too.

My first question is that you have said in many speeches that 2024 is not your target; it is 2047. What is going to happen by 2047 and is this election just a formality?
PM MODI: I think that both 2047 and 2024 should not be mixed up. They are two different things. I had presented this to people from the beginning, one or two years before itself. And I used to say that in 2047 we will be celebrating 100 years of the independence of the country. Naturally, during such a milestone, it somehow brings new excitement, creates a new resolution.

And in that sense, it was my motto that there is a chance to do something. In 2022, we were at 75 years of independence and we are going to reach 100 years in 2047. How do we make use of these next 25 years? Every institution, everyone should have a goal. For example, I am the head of my village, and by 2047, I will do this much in my village.
I recently went to the RBI function where they celebrated 90 years, so I said that the next 10 years is very important for you. You will have completed 100 years. Think about it from now.

So, in my mind, 2047 is the 100th anniversary of India's independence. And an inspiration should arise in the country. And the 100th anniversary of independence is a great inspiration in itself. So, that is one part.
The second is 2024. 2024 is the process of our election. And I believe that elections are altogether different thing. In democracy, elections should not be taken lightly. And so, I feel that it should be celebrated as an event. Like sports, when there are sports festivals and sports events they create a sportsman spirit. When there is a game, the spectators, the players create an environment of sportsman spirit. Which becomes part of our culture. If we turn this atmosphere of elections into a festival, turn it into a Utsav, then in our veins, in the veins of the coming generations of democracy, it becomes a culture. And it is very important for democracy that democracy should not only be confined to the limits of the constitution. It should be in our blood. It should be in our culture and in that sense, I see 2024.

It is true that I have a vision of 25 years and I have done a lot of work in that. And it is not like I am doing it from today. Maybe when I was in Gujarat, I used to think in that direction. Now look at the 2024 elections. There is an opportunity in front of the country that there is a model of Congress government and the BJP government. They have worked for 5-6 decades and I have worked only for 10 years. Compare these in any field. Even if there are some shortcomings, there will be no shortcomings in our efforts.

Secondly, in 10 years, at least two years, we lost to the battle of Covid. And there were many aftereffects, too. Even then, today, if we compare the country in terms of speed, scale, if we talk about all-encompassing development. On every parameter, you can see a model that says yes, we will walk on this path with so much speed and I have to increase the speed. In the next term, I have to increase the speed as well as the scale. That is my goal. Secondly, you will see that when the people of the country give the responsibility of running the country, then we should have a single-minded focus on the country, the people of the country.

Unfortunately, the political culture of the past was on how to make the family strong, how to not let anyone take away from the roots of the family. Whereas, I am working with the aim of making the country strong. My government is working with that aim. And when the country is strong, everyone experiences its benefits. Where something is happening, we are working hard, we are doing it with honesty, these things have an impact. So 2024, there is an election, so we have taken our track record and they have brought their track record.

ANI: Prime Minister, you have mentioned two things that I would like to ask about. When you say that there is a trailer, in your speeches you say that there is a trailer and you are going to do a lot. So, there is a part of the people that gets a little nervous about what Modiji is going to do. The other, people who have complete faith in you, they think that more work is yet to be done and Modi is going to execute it. So for both for you, what is your vision for 2047? How will this vision be successful? What is your game plan?

PM MODI: When I say that I have big plans, no one must be scared. I don't take decision to scare or run-over anyone, I take decisions for the wholesome development of the nation. For the development of the people, the aspirations of our youth. I don't want to delay those things. Additionally, governments always say we have done everything, I don't believe I have done everything. I have tried to do everything in the right direction, yet there is so much I need to do, because I see that my country has so many needs

Every family's dream, how will that dream come true? This is what I have in my heart. And that is why I say what has happened is a trailer. You liked it. But I want to do a lot more. In that sense, I say that.
The second thing is that the question of 2047's vision. First of all, I have been the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a long time. And I used to experience that if there were elections again and again then from my state, 30-40 senior good officers used to go as observers, for Election duty. So they used to stay out for 40-50 days. I used to worry how will I run the government? Because in the country, such elections keep happening and my observers keep going out. Then I thought if I have an election, I will not take that period as a vacation. I give jobs to the officials in advance. I ask them to do this for the next government. So I used to plan for 100 days even at that time.

ANI: Yes, that's what I wanted to ask. Yes. The elections are still going on. There are no results yet. And you are making a 100-day plan?
PM MODI: I started before going to the elections itself. I have been working on 2047 for the past 2 years. And for that, I asked for opinions and suggestions from people across the country. I have taken suggestions of more than 15 lakh people on how they want to see India in the coming 25 years. And I contacted all the universities. I contacted different NGOs. And 15-20 lakh people gave their inputs. Then I took the help of AI and classified it subject-wise. I did a lot of technology work.

ANI: Artificial intelligence. Did you do a lot of technology work?
PM MODI: I did a lot of technology work. I made a dedicated team of officers in every department to work on this. How can it be done for the next term? For 25 years. And then I sat with them and they gave presentations for 2-2.5 hours.
And what are the things according to my vision? Which things are doable and which are not doable?
ANI: Can you give us a little trailer?
PM MODI: There is a model code of conduct on, if I say anything it may be taken in the wrong sense I don't want to get caught in it. But there is nothing hidden in it, it will be public soon. Secondly, I said that I want the document that I am making, which is my vision, but that vision is not of Modi. The thoughts of those 15-20 lakh people are somehow included in it. It is the ownership of the country. 15-20 lakh people give input, which means the whole country is giving. What I have done is that I am making it ready as a document.

As soon as the elections are over, it will be sent to the states. I would like the state to work on it. What does the state think? What can be done?
ANI: And it's not just BJP states?
PM MODI: No, the whole country. This is the country's work, not BJP's. Then I will hold a meeting of the Chief Ministers and Neeti Aayog. I will discuss this with the Chief Ministers. And then a final document will be made. Second, I have told the officials that the picture that has been made in front of us, whatever the input has come, I have given my input. Out of that, I have to work in three parts. One, the BJP's manifesto will come. Out of that, how much work can we do immediately?

I need critical input. I don't believe that I should be the only one who understands everything. I tried my best. I spent a lot of time on it. I divided it into three parts. One is 25 years. In light of that, my next five years. And in light of that, my first 100 days. So in this way, I made a design.
ANI: You made a time table.
PM MODI: I put the options to work. Because I don't want to lose even a minute. Now you must remember, in 2019, very few people pay attention. At that time too, I gave 100 days' work and went to the election field. And when I came back, Article 370, I did it in 100 days. With repealing of Triple Talaq, I made my sisters free. I did it in the first 100 days. I plan ahead and put it on the basis. I am also running a huge campaign on getting animals vaccinated. This is also something we started in 2019.

ANI: Modi ji, you have coined a term which has become very popular, Modi ki guarantee. Now during the elections, many people are saying that the candidate is not important. The vote is only going to Modi ji because he is the guarantee.
PM MODI: The first thing is, not only the candidate the voter is also important, in elections, every candidate is important. In elections, the worker at the booth level is also important. The candidate is equally important.
As far as the question of guarantee is concerned, today in our country, I feel that politicians are not true to their word. In a way, it seems that... ...you can say anything you want. You don't have any responsibility. Now you must have seen these days... ...a politician's old videos... ...are going around. And his one statement is so contradictory to the other. Now people see it together and say... This man used to fool us so much. Now I heard a politician's speech. He said,' I will remove poverty in a jiffy'. Now those who got to rule 5-6 decades, when they say today that I will remove poverty in a jiffy, then the people will raise questions.

So I feel that political leadership is becoming questionable. In such a situation, we should remember that we have a tradition of 'Pran Jaye par Vacchan na Jaye' I believe that politicians should take ownership. They should take responsibility. What I am saying is my responsibility. And I have given the guarantee from that. I also commit and I take ownership. When you take ownership it develops trust. Take the case of Article 370, it has been our party's commitment. We have been fighting to remove it, when it was my turn, I showed courage. I removed 370. And today, the fate of J&K has changed.

Triple Talaq. So many things were said. Political leadership got scared. People said, why should we trust them? They say one thing and the other. But people start believing if you stand with them. Trust is a very big power. And in a country like India, I consider this trust as my responsibility. And that is why I say this again and again that this is my guarantee.
ANI: Modi ji, you talk about trust. Wherever our camera teams go, they always say that the candidate or the speaker, they all talk about trust in Modi. So have we come to this situation where earlier it was said that Indira is India, India is Indira, and now Modi is Bharat, Bharat is Modi. Have we reached that level?

PM MODI: The country says and what I myself feel and what I think the people say, is that he is the son of Mother India. He is the child of Mother India. No one thinks of me or speaks for me more than that. He is serving Mother India. That's all there is to it.
ANI: I am talking about Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. It should not have been a political issue. But it has happened. And when elections have come, then whether it is the opposition or BJP, they accuse each other of being sinners. Congress says that BJP has politicised this, so they are sinners. BJP says that despite giving an invitation, you did not come to Pran Pratishtha, so you are a sinner. So how do you see this?

PM MODI: The first thing is that who is doing politics with this? And understand this in today's times. When we were not even born. When our party was not even born. At that time, this matter could have been dealt with in the court. There could have been a solution to the problem. When India was divided, then during the time of partition, they could have decided to do so and so. That was not done. Why? Because this is like a weapon in their hands, a weapon for vote bank politics. They then fanned the flames again and again.

Even, when the case was going on in the court, they tried to delay the judgement of the court. It should have just followed the process; why did they do this? Because for them, it was a political weapon. They kept saying Ram Mandir will be built, they will kill you. It was a way to appease a vote bank. Now what happened? Ram Mandir has been built, no untoward incidents happened and that issue has gone out of their hands.
Secondly, their nature. Look at the incidents from Somnath Mandir till now. These are the core beliefs of our country. What was the problem with Somnath Mandir? Dr. Rajendra Babu wanted to go. There was no Jan-Sangh, no BJP. But they refused to let him go.

ANI: The letter from Nehruji.
PM MODI: Yes. Whatever it is. That tradition is still going on, that the invitation of Pran Pratishtha should be given. And you reject it. Truly, you should be proud that the people who have built the Ram Mandir, those who have also struggled for it, they forget all your sins. They come to your house and invite you. And they want to start relations anew. You also reject them. Then it seems that for you, vote bank has made you helpless. And because of that vote bank, things like this keep happening. And this... showing someone down, insulting someone, this they consider is their right, which is why we say they are Naamdar and we are Kaamdar. Now when I go to the North East, if people there ask me to wear their clothes, I wear them. Making fun of that too. If I go to Tamil Nadu, wear a Lungi, they say, look, he is doing this, he is doing that. I am surprised, so much hatred. This does not happen in democracy. It should not happen.

Look, for us, I believe that this is neither a political issue for us, nor should it be, nor will it ever be. For us, this is a matter of tremendous faith. And this is not a relationship between Lord Ram and me. It has been for thousands of years and it is in many countries of the world. When the Trust came to me with the invitation of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, I started thinking that I am being given such a big responsibility, how do I make myself worthy? So I took advice from some saints and some people connected to my spiritual life. I didn't want to take this ceremony as a Prime Minister. I wanted to do it as a devotee of Lord Ram. What can I do? I got a lot of suggestions from them. But then I also did some research. And I decided that I will do an Anushthaan for 11 days. And I used to sleep on the ground. I used to live on coconut water. And I decided that wherever Lord Ram had gone, wherever I could go, I would try to go there.

I went to Srirangam Temple in South India. And I heard the recitation of the Kamba Ramayana there. Then the people there told me, Sir, 800 years ago, when Kamba Ramayana was created, the first recitation took place at this very place. And I saw that everyone had tears in their eyes. This experience that I have had, especially in the South, the people sitting here will not be able to understand. What kind of devotion is this? What kind of faith is this? And how much piousness is there in it? My trip was a personal one. But, the people supported me. I see this as a very important 11-days in my spiritual journey.

I had taken Pran Pratishtha very seriously. I had not taken it as an event. It was not an event for me.
ANI: It was a spiritual movement for you.
PM MODI: I used to see the 500 years of struggle. I used to see the faith of 140 crore people and their dreams. And the poor people of the country, they have built this temple by giving small amounts of money. This temple. I see three things. One, 500 years-a long struggle and the sacrifice of several people, second a long drawn out battle in court. Third, the use of technology its excavation, evidence, this is a very big thing. And fourth, millions and millions of people in India have given whatever they can give, they have built this temple. This temple has not been built by the funds of the government. These are such aspects, that are the pride of India, the strength of India, the dreams of India, the determination of India, and will inspire the future generation of India.

ANI: Let's talk about South India. First, I will talk about some issues of South India. BJP leader has come to Tamil Nadu, for whom there is a lot of media attention, and that is Annamalai ji. He is very confident that BJP will get a double-digit figure in Tamil Nadu. Do you share this?
PM MODI: I would say that five generations of our party from the Jana Sangh onwards have been working here. So continuous work has been going on. When people were disappointed with the Congress, they went towards the regional parties. Now people are disappointed with these parties. In this atmosphere of disappointment, they saw the model of the BJP government in Delhi. They saw the model of the BJP government in other states in India. The Tamils who live across the country, they went to their homes and said that this is happening in the state where we live. So people naturally started to compare that these people are doing good work.

Like I did, the Tamil Kashi Sangam. So in Tamil Nadu, the people of the DMK party used to make fun of us calling us Panipuri wallahs. But when the people of Tamil Nadu came to the Kashi Sangam and saw the form of Kashi, they said, this is not what we used to hear. This looks very developed. There is a lot of progress. This caused a change of thinking.
And because of that, a lot of anger has arisen against DMK. That anger is diverting towards the BJP in a positive way. And Annamalai is a very good leader, articulate. He is young. He has left a very good job in his IPS cadre. Other people think that he left such a big career and came here. If he had gone to DMK, he would have become a big name. He didn't go there. He came to BJP. People think that he has gone to BJP, means he has mettle. So it has become a source of attraction. And the specialty of my party is that we give an opportunity at every level, every small and big worker who has the capacity. We don't have any family-based party. There is no party that is run by the family. There are parties that have of the family, by the family and for the family. And that's why everyone gets an opportunity here.

ANI: If we talk about family-based politics, then in Tamil Nadu, DMK has given a lot of statements against Sanatan. And they have been doing this for a long time. But now, people seem to be a bit agitated. So, what do you think, is it because of awareness that people are turning towards BJP? Or is it because of his statements against Sanatan that are spreading in other states as well?
PM MODI: I look at this question in a different way. The question should be asked to the Congress. The Congress with which Mahatma Gandhi's name was associated. The Congress where Indira Gandhi used to wear a garland around her neck.

ANI: Rudraksha garland.
PM MODI: Indira Gandhi used to wear a Rudraksha garland around her neck. The question should be asked to the Congress. What is your helplessness? Why are you sitting with people who are so vicious against Sanatan? Will your politics remain incomplete? What is this Congress thinking? This is the topic of concern.
The birth of DMK must have been in this hatred. The question is not for them, the question is for a party like Congress. That has it lost its original character? When the people who were sitting in the Constitutional Assembly, most of them were Gandhian people, most of them were people associated with Congress. And the first Constitution was made. The painting on every page of it, they are connected to the tradition of Sanatan. So your constitution was made. In that constitution, Sanatan was a part of the government. And today, if someone has the courage to abuse Sanatan so much, and if you do politics of elections with them, if you support that party it is a matter of concern for the country.

ANI: And the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and some others, there are ministers and Chief Ministers of the South. They say that the South is a separate unit and the North is a separate unit. The South India and the North India. And BJP can't meddle in the South India. Rahul Gandhi had also said in the parliament that if you look at it from the East, from Bengal to Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, BJP won't be able to meddle in the whole area. Are there two separate units, South India and North India?

PM MODI: The first thing is that India is very beautiful. India is a country full of diversity. There is a desert here, there is a sea here, there are the Himalayas here, there is the Sahyadri here, there is the Ganga here and there is the Cauvery too. So seeing India in pieces is a misinterpretation of India. If it was the same feeling, if you see in India, where are the maximum villages associated with the name of Lord Ram, then it is Tamil Nadu. There are so many village names that must have Ram in it. Now how can you call it separate? But there is a diversity in India. Nagaland will not be like Punjab. Gujarat will not be the same as Kashmir. So diversity is our strength. We should celebrate diversity. We have such a quality of India that every flower in the bouquet of India blossoms. This should happen.

ANI: Congress says that BJP and especially Modi ji don't appreciate this diversity. They want to put it portray it as one colour. And if BJP wins 400 then there will be only one language and one religion and that too what Modi says.
PM MODI: I don't understand that a person who goes to the UN and for the first time praises the oldest language of the world, Tamil, on what basis are you accusing that person?
I have a thinking and when I wear clothes from different states, they are the ones who have a problem. They want to put the country into a singular structure.

We worship diversity we celebrate diversity. And I tell everyone, like I said, to become a doctor, to become an engineer why can't you become one in your mother tongue? When I talk about becoming a doctor or engineer in the mother tongue, what does it mean? I was celebrating the mother tongue; I was increasing its importance, I was celebrating diversity.
I was sitting with all these children who are gamers. Someone asked me for a message. So I said, do one thing, whenever you sign a letter, sign it in your mother tongue. Be proud of it. Now I am trying to bring diversity. Now they have to make accusations. What else will they do?

ANI: There are some Chief Ministers who say that they don't get support from the Centre. There are some Chief Ministers from the South as well. You have also been the Chief Minister. Now you are the Prime Minister in the last 10 years. Have your thoughts about cooperative federalism changed when you were the Chief Minister and now you are the Prime Minister? Actually... And don't they get support?
PM MODI: Regional aspirations should be given the most attention. This is the philosophy of my party. If you reject the regional aspirations, you can't make the dream of a developed India come true. I have been the Chief Minister in Gujarat for a long time. And I am fortunate that I am the first Prime Minister in the country who has such a great experience of being the Chief Minister of the state.

So as a Chief Minister, what are the expectations from the Central Government? What are the problems faced by the Central Government? I have experienced it well. I have understood it well. And that is why I will never want that if there is any obstacle in the development of my country, if I can remove that obstacle and I can help them in that, I will do that too. Because I want to make the country.
Secondly, when I was in Gujarat, even then I had a mantra. The government here was of UPA. Even then I had a mantra, for the development of India, Gujarat should be developed. I will develop Gujarat. Why? Because I want to develop my country. There should be an environment in our country. And we imagined an aspirational district. In every state, we said that this is equal to the parameters of the state. All the states are working together in our aspirational district and we are seeing very good results.

Now look at Corona. I met the Chief Ministers of states so many times, maybe 20-25 times, and we used to make joint decisions on everything. So we came together and we managed to win the war against Corona. And I say this publicly, that in the fight against Corona, India's success is the same as that of all the states. I recognize this. And that is why I have always said that we have to take the country forward. then we need competitive, cooperative federalism. We should have a competition, a strong competition for development.

See G20. I could have hosted G20 in Delhi. I didn't do that. I did a G20 summit in every state of India. Because through G20, people should get the opportunity to see that state. The state should get a global platform for its exposure. Why? Because for me every corner of my country is my country.
ANI: Mr. Modi, I wanted to ask you two questions about G20. One is about the classic shot of President Biden and Prince Salman, the handshake shot. Secondly, there were a lot of articles in the Western media at that time that there will be no consensu and there will be no declaration. But there was a declaration. So, tell us the back story of these two things. First, how did you get that handshake done? And secondly, how did the declaration happen?

PM MODI: When we work for the global good, and there are no personal ifs and buts, then you can take the world on board. And my attempt was, that tell me how G8 and G20 were born. The issues for which these were formed we should never divert from those issues. And in that, everyone was convinced by me. For some people, I needed to talk personally. I did that too. Secondly, my intention was that I will not bring the resolution on the last day, in the last session. I will do it so soon that people will be surprised. And so I completed the declaration work on the second day itself. So that was my strategy. And that strategy worked. And I am happy.

As far as why and how did we bring those countries of the world together? Look, we have been hearing about the Silk Route for a long time. Who made the Silk Route? How was it made? There is no history available. The Silk Route evolved.
We have worked on the IMEC, which is going to be a big game changer like the Silk Route was a game changer. Like the Silk Route it will be a trade route for a thousand years. There was a positive and proactive role of the Gulf countries. India got an opportunity to play a good role. The US and Europe were with us. And everyone thought that there would be a concrete positive outcome. So we used to meet on that. So there was an opportunity to get the Saudi King and President Biden together, and I had a good friendship with both.

ANI: There is also personality politics in this. Because if we talk about foreign policy, our relations with Gulf have improved. For that, many people say that it is because of your personal intervention. You were also given respect there. So, whether it is East Asia or West Asia, how important is personality politics in this?
Whether it is the President or the Prime Minister of a country, you share a personal vibe with them. How much of a role does personality politics play here?

PM MODI: I understand that there can be different views on this, and they can all be correct. One is strong, that personality cult, or personal relations, they are very much in these things. There is a strong feeling on this. I feel that if our diplomacy is stuck in the protocol, then we will not be able to perform. The power of diplomacy is also there in the informal. It is not the same in the protocol. There is more positioning in the protocol, who will come first, who will shake hands first, etc.

That is what we understand. So I saw from the beginning that my oath was very interesting. I decided that I will invite the SAARC countries for my oath taking in 2014. And there was a reason behind it, because I had only one objection during in my election campaign. That this Modi has come from a state. How will he understand the politics of the country? What foreign policy will he understand? First day. We didn't even have a foreign minister. And I was completely new to all these things. I decided to go outside to the gate to receive the guests. So the whole system was shaken. Will our Prime Minister go to the gate? For the whole world of protocol of my MEA, that first day was amazing.

And for me, that one action opened all the doors for me. And that's why instead of being stuck in protocol, I focused on performance. I have tried to shift the level of diplomacy. And I have succeeded in that.
ANI: President Obama, President Biden, President Trump, you have worked with these three. And the US-India-US relations are on an upward trajectory. But there are many countries that are troubled by the upward trajectory of India. It is understood that like China, because they used to think that it will be a group of two. One side China and the other side America. There will be two power centres. I am giving China as an example. But the countries around us are also in a dilemma that India's trajectory is going up so fast. Can't we make our neighbourhood a part of our success story?

PM MODI: You asked a good question. We have a policy from day one. One, Neighbour First. Second, Act East. In the eastern part with the ASEAN countries, we have established the Act East policy. Here, Neighbourhood First. But secondly, today even if there is a country hundreds of miles away from the world even they feel that we have some benefit in the progress of India. So why won't the neighbours see this? Today, the neighbours are the happiest. Because India is one of their best. Like in the era of Covid, there is no neighbouring country that we have not helped. During, natural calamities. There is no such country which we haven't helped, like Nepal-we where there when there was an earthquake. We were the first responders. There was a huge crisis in Sri Lanka. During that crisis, we have done the most work to get them out of trouble. They recognize it publicly. They say it. And that is why, I am experiencing another thing. They expect a lot from us. And I say it in a positive way. They look at it in a good way. And India has also said that we want to see our neighbouring countries strong and prosperous.

ANI: You had extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan in 2014 ...You had done the same with China. But when you talk about success stories or your neighbourhood first, then Pakistan, China, Maldives they are also there. And if you talk about them, there are some issues?
PM MODI: In that, their internal policy is important. More than the relations between India and those countries, some things are important for their internal politics.
ANI: Foreign media always say that Modi is the most popular Prime Minister in India. There is no doubt about this. But it also says that a strong Modi means democracy starts sliding. That is, there is a danger for democracy if Modi becomes stronger. But there is something else in India. The same ratings, the same agencies say that the people are happy that if Modiji becomes strong. So these are their ratings. What would you say about this?

PM MODI: The first thing is what is their terminology and what is the basis of them c