NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made a conciliatory appeal to the agitating farming community and said he was ready to make changes in the land Bill if there was anything in it against the farmers, while replying to the motion of thanks to the President’s Address. “In an era of co-operative federalism, can we become arrogant? Should we not listen to the chief ministers of the states... if there is anything against farmers in the Land Acquisition Bill, the government is ready to change it,” the PM said.
Seeking to silence those who make ridiculous comments based on religion, the PM said, “My government’s only religion is ‘India first’, my government’s only religious book is ‘Indian Constitution’, our only devotion is ‘Bharat Bhakti’ and our only prayer is ‘welfare of all’,” he said.
Modi quoted Sikh Guru Nanak, “The one God is pervading in all. Beholding him in all, Nanak is delighted,” to talk about India’s strength in diversity. “We want all religions to prosper,” he added. The other significant takeaways from his 70-minute-long speech included his sharp attack on the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress.
Modi was at his caustic best, as he rubbed it in and argued that even after 60 years, the poor were made to dig pits through the MNREGA.
Referring to ‘jokes’ on his numerous foreign trips, he said he went there as PMs have prior assignments. On all his trips abroad, Modi said he had welfare of the poor in mind.