Thiruvananthapuram: Accusing the critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading a false narrative that India’s democracy, federalism and diversity are under threat, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said those who are peddling in falsehood should remember that ‘lies have no life’.
“You can tell lies, once, twice or thrice. But a lie has no life,” Mr Javadekar, an articulate voice in the saffron party, said at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL 2023) here.
“India is a vibrant democracy and all the fundamentals of the system are strong and safe,” the former Union Minister asserted while talking on “Reimagening India; my view” on the concluding day of the four-day festival.
“We believe in prosperity of all. We love and respect each other. Citizens are not discriminated against based on religion,” as this inclusive vision has been envisioned in the country’s civilisational ideals about which every Indian should be proud of, he said.
Even as the country has achieved remarkable progress in all vital sectors, including economy, after the BJP came to power in 2014, the Congress and Communists are making concerted efforts to project India as a loser, he said.
“We are a robust democracy with 90 crore voters, of whom over 70 per cent exercise their franchise. People know who they want to be elected and who they want to be defeated based on their perception of leaders and parties. We have a government with full majority at the Centre since 2014,” the BJP leader said.
He said there was no basis whatsoever in the allegation that federalism has come under severe stress and non-BJP states are being discriminated against in devolution of funds.
“The ‘Modi critics’ are weaving a dismal picture. I don’t know what will they do after 2024 elections? Some have even gone to the extent of suggesting a constitutional amendment to set a single term for the Prime Minister’s post. Did they say this during the days of Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi?” the BJP leader asked.
“In 2014 India was the 10th largest economy. Now we are the fifth largest economy. Our vision is to make the country third, or the second, largest economy by 2047. Is this a wrong story? Some people believe in distribution of poverty. We believe in distribution of progress,” Mr Javadekar said.
A former Minister for Forest and Environment at the Centre, Mr Javadekar patted the organisers of MBIFL for strictly following the green protocol in the conduct of the event.
“This is a good example. This is how we could be environment-friendly citizens,” he said when the Mathrubhumi Managing Director and festival director Shri M V Shreyams Kumar pointed out that the parameters of carbon neutrality have been fully adhered to in every aspect of the festival.
To a question if the latest Union Budget was not election-oriented, he said the budget is for the progress of the nation and welfare of the people, and not an election speech.
