If I wanted to make over my image, I could have given 10,000 interviews in the last 10 years. I haven't done anything wrong that I need to make up for. I am what I am in front of the world.
It is my absolute belief that Indians have unlimited talent. I have no doubt about our capabilities. I have a lot of faith in the entrepreneurial nature of our 1.25 billion people. There is a lot of capability. And I have a clear road-map to channel it.
Any criminal act against any individual or institution in India is to be condemned. The attackers must be strongly punished as per law. I have said this before and I say it again: any discrimination or violence against any community will not be tolerated. My position on this is very clear: Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas. We stand for every one of the 1.25 billion Indians regardless or caste or creed and we will work for the progress of every one of them.
There is a saying in India that the person who should throw a stone first is the person who has not committed any sins. In the world right now, a lot of people want to give advice. But look within them, and they too have sinned in some way. Ultimately, India's view point is that efforts need to be made to sit together and talk, and to resolve problems in an ongoing process.
My only aim is the welfare of the poor of my country and the poor of states like Uttar Pradesh.
I am an apolitical Prime Minister. Apart from elections, I don't get involved into politics ever.
Governments must not run only for elections. The government should be a bona fide attempt of meeting the demands and expectations of the common people. Elections should just be a bi-product.
Electoral reforms are necessary if India has to be rid of black money.
If anyone thinks Indian Muslims will dance to their tune, they are delusional. Indian Muslims will live for India. They will die for India. They will not want anything bad for India.
We live in an inter-dependent world. An isolated India is not in our interest. Just because we are a large country, we cannot be arrogant and think that we can ignore others. We live in a different era. Terrorism is global and can come from even remote countries. International summits and organizations like WTO take decisions which will bind us and if we are not present in such summits, we may be hurt by the decisions taken.
People of India who work day and night, they are my inspiration. I look at them and I work even harder.
I attend many functions, go to different areas, you wouldn't have heard any political comment from me. If I go to a government function, I talk about government related topics. If I attend a Railway's function I talk about railways, if water then water, if water bodies, then water bodies. My focus is on governance.
India has been at the greatest loss because governments were run only for elections.
I promise to deliver a corruption-free India... people have chosen our government to get rid of black money.
India does not need to become anything else. India must become only India. This is a country that once upon a time was called 'the golden bird'. We have fallen from where we were before. But now we have the chance to rise again. If you see the details of the last five or ten centuries, you will see that India and China have grown at similar paces. Their contributions to global GDP have risen in parallel, and fallen in parallel. Today's era once again belongs to Asia. India and China are both growing rapidly, together. That is why India needs to remain India.
If we provide employment to people, if we ensure there's food on their plates, if we provide them with facilities and give them education, all the tension will end. And this is why, all those who want good for the nation, I request them to compete towards development and for development. This atmosphere should be created in India and I think such an environment is being created nowadays.
In a democracy, everyone has the right to criticise the Government. Normally, the opposition gets more media space and even the people find it interesting to listen to voices against the government of the day. Ever since I took office, my friends in the opposition have been levelling baseless allegations about my foreign trips. Had these trips been a failure, then they would have based their comments on specific issues. When opponents keep harping on one point, it is a sure sign of success!
When I see the poor in India, it reminds me of the work that I have to do for them.
There is no need to increase the taxes. India can run without troubling the citizens.
I am in fear, there is no humour left in public life because of this fear.
My first warning is to my government officers to not presume citizens as thieves.
I don't want to increase taxes, I just want taxes to be paid honestly.
We would have to give out something for the poor in India. It is my responsibility to give the people an account of every rupee. I will use it at right places. I won't let it get stolen.
We shouldn't consider smaller countries insignificant. I abide by this principle.
In foreign policy it's not necessary to have similar views to have a conversation.
