Wealthiest 10 per cent of Indians should support the poorest 20 per cent: Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu
NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that the wealthiest 10 per cent of Indians should support the poorest 20 per cent of their fellow countrymen.
He also stressed that politicians who do not create wealth through economic development have no right to distribute it. Naidu, in the national capital campaigning for the BJP ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, was talking at a press conference.
Advocating for zero poverty, Naidu urged that the "top 10 per cent of Indians" should take responsibility for the bottom 20 per cent, as they have "benefited from society."
When asked if this should be achieved through voluntary efforts or legislation, he replied: "There should first be a discussion. Then we can explore Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, followed by potential legislative measures. Those who have prospered through societal opportunities should give back to the bottom 20 percent, as they too are part of society."
Criticising the culture of freebies, Naidu said, "Welfare measures are important, but politicians must understand that those who don't create wealth through economic growth have no right to distribute it."
Taking a jab at Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Admi Party, Naidu claimed that AAP's "half-engine sarkar" has ruined the national capital and that only a BJP-led double-engine government can fix it.
Highlighting concerns over Delhi's water quality, he remarked, "There is no difference between drainage water and drinking water in Delhi." Naidu said: "What you need is a double-engine sarkar. The right people in the right places with the right policies will make all the difference."
He added with a quip: "Be on the right side, or you'll end up on the roadside."
"Ideology isn't important but development is. The Narendra Modi government is focused on the country’s economic growth and inclusive development. Just look at Delhi—it's struggling with both air pollution and political pollution. But see what Prime Minister Modi is doing; he's driving India’s development and promoting Brand India," Naidu remarked in response to a series of questions about the rift in the opposition INDIA alliance.
When asked about the outcome of the caste survey in Telangana, which revealed that more than half of the state's population is backward, Naidu said: "There is nothing wrong with it. Caste is a sentiment, and religion is a sentiment—we must respect that."
The state government revealed that 56.33% of the population belongs to the Backward Classes (BCs), including 10.08% BC Muslims, based on data from a comprehensive Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political, and Caste Survey covering 354,77,554 people and 1,12,15,134 families.