NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his podcast debut on ‘People by WTF‘ hosted by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, shared his perspective on the changing landscape of politics and the abuses faced in public life. Addressing a question on social media’s impact on politics and the advice he would offer aspiring politicians, PM Modi reflected on his journey and shared a joke.
Kamath asked Modi about the shift from pre-social media politics to the present, where digital platforms dominate political narratives. Modi responded with a mix of humour and wisdom, recounting a story from Ahmedabad to illustrate his approach to handling criticism. “Some children ask me, ‘How do you feel when you are abused so much?’ I tell them a joke about an Ahemdabadi who remained calm even when verbally attacked.
“Once, an Ahemdabadi was riding on his scooter and almost collided with someone from behind. The other person got angry, and they started arguing. The other person started abusing me. Ahemdabadi remained standing with his scooter. The other person kept on abusing me. Suddenly someone came and said, “What kind of a person are you? He is abusing so much and you are standing just like that.” The Ahemdabadi said, “He is just giving, but he is not taking anything, right?,” PM Modi said.
On facing abuses in the political arena, he said that he is “okay if they are verbally abusing me”. However, he added that the foundation of the abuse must be truth and there should be no “evil in heart”.
Modi said that there is a need for sensitivity in public life, stating, “In every aspect of life, friction exists. However, in politics, you must approach challenges with a sense of service. Without sensitivity, one cannot help people effectively.”
PM Modi has been at the receiving end of constant barbs from the opposition parties, throughout various state elections as well as Lok Sabha polls.
The consistent criticism mainly comes from the Congress party, which has often accused Modi of undermining democratic values and the Constitution and has referred to the PM as “non-biological”.
During the podcast PM Modi also shared his vision for a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047, where basic needs like toilets, water, and electricity are available to all, and government schemes are delivered without hindrance. Modi highlighted that AI (Aspirational India) would be the driving force behind this vision. Reflecting on India’s growing global influence, he recalled predicting in 2005 that the world would one day stand in line for an Indian visa, a vision he believes is now coming true.
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