BHUBANESWAR: Slamming the latest BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan termed the production an attack on India.
In a freewheeling chat with the editorial team of The New Indian Express, Odisha, as part of ‘Express Dialogues’, Pradhan said the fast-paced growth and progress of India under Modi has not gone down well with many sections.
“I feel the documentary is not against Prime Minister Modi. It is against India. A lot of people are unable to digest the fact that India has become fifth largest economy in the world. It is creating a ripple in their mind as to how India, despite several challenges, is managing its economy, keeping inflation in control and maintaining the growth trajectory, which is around seven per cent,” he said.
Toeing the government line on the documentary exposing a “biased and blatant colonial mindset”, the minister said, “How those who have ruled us for centuries, creating discrimination, can accept India’s emergence.”‘
‘However, the faith of people is enough for us (When faith is there. It is sufficient). The entire globe has accepted India’s empowerment under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.He also dismissed the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra of former Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi saying it was an effort to hold his own base and stay relevant.
“I feel that with all these exercises he may enrich himself with experience. But the kind of behaviour, words and narrative he has developed in this process, I don’t see any substantial outcome from his Yatra. It is just a vacuum,” he said.
Pradhan said, the people of the country are standing in solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His welfare politics, sensitive approach and the way he has envisioned India’s progress in the next 25 years is inspiring citizens, especially the youth and women.
On the issues concerning his education ministry, Pradhan spoke about the NEP implementation and reiterated that corrected history will be taught to students and new books on history and other related subjects will be introduced from the next academic session.
The education minister though clarified that the objective of the government was not to rewrite history, but to expand the canvas. “We don’t want to offend anyone or curtail anything. We want to draw a bigger line of history. The unsung heros of our society have to be brought to the limelight in the 21st century, which is the recommendation of NEP. We want to create global citizens, but at the same time, we cannot forget our glorious past,” he asserted.
~ The full interview will be published in The New Indian Express on Monday. It can also be accessed at:
www.newindianexpress.com