India lagged behind despite big surnames running past govts: Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said there was lack of work culture in the past and India lagged behind in development despite “big surnames” running the country. He said since the BJP came to power in 2014, change can be witnessed.
Addressing the ‘Jagran Forum’ organised by the Dainik Jagran media group, he said, “People with big surnames came to power and went but no solution could be found to the problems.” He was making an oblique reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
“In the last four years, you have yourself witnessed this change. Figures speak for itself. But this did not happen in the past. If poverty was alleviated, how would the slogan of ‘garibi hatao’ be given… It would hit vote bank politics,” Modi said.
He was referring to the slogan ‘garibi hatao’ (remove poverty) slogan given by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections.
Modi said when the poor and deprived will get basic amenities such as toilets, gas connection, power supply and bank accounts, then “the poor will be able to defeat poverty themselves”.
He said today, the government has the courage to aim high and take big decisions because it is a strong government which has the full mandate of the electorate. “For a new India, the focus of the government is on ability, resources, culture and security.” He suggested that while there was no shortage of funds in the past, what was actually missing was the passion to get things done.
He also said, solutions were present, but what was needed was sensitivity. Modi also claimed that work culture was missing in the past, though the bureaucrats, the system and the people are the same today, things are moving at a faster pace now. (PTI)