M A I N   N E W S

Modi: My govt didn’t get any honeymoon period
Tribune News Service

1-month of governance Every new government has something that friends in the media like to call a ‘honeymoon period.’ Previous governments had the luxury of extending this ‘honeymoon period’ up to a hundred days and even beyond. I didn’t have any such luxury. Scope for improvement I feel there are areas where surely we need to improve. A big challenge I am facing in Delhi is to convey to a select group of people about our intentions and sincerity to bring a positive change in this country.

Modi stressed on the need for both the Centre and states to proactively mount a coordinated effort in implementing the advance action plan for the monsoon, with districts, rather than states, being the unit of planning. — A PMO statement

New Delhi, June 26
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to emphasise that unlike in the past, his government did not get indulgence of a hundred-day “honeymoon period” and was hit by a series of allegations in less than 100 hours of assuming charge.

While acknowledging there were areas that need improvement, the Prime Minister played down the early attacks as “developments that do not matter when one is working with the sole aim of serving the country with determination.”

On completing one month in office, Modi blogged: "Every new government has something that friends in the media like to call a ‘honeymoon period.’ Previous governments had the luxury of extending this ‘honeymoon period’ up to a hundred days and even beyond. Not unexpectedly, I don’t have any such luxury. Forget hundred days, the series of allegations began in less than a hundred hours. But when one is working with the sole aim of serving the nation determinately, these things don’t matter. That is why I keep working and that is most satisfying."

The Prime Minister admitted that while assuming the office he was new to the place and some thought he would take a year to learn the intricacies. Yet during the last one month, Modi said his confidence and determination increased tremendously. He credited it to the collective wisdom of his ministers and his own experience as a four-time Chief Minister.

Modi said in the last one month, both during meeting and presentations with ministers and officials, there was wonderful exchange of thoughts and ideas as a result they could come up with an excellent roadmap for various ministries. Yet in a candid observation, he said: “I feel there are areas where surely we need to improve.”

“There have been some instances in the last month with which our government had nothing to do yet these controversies have persisted. I don’t blame anybody, but I surely feel that we need to strengthen systems whereby the right things are communicated to the right people at the right time. Hopefully, things will change then,'' he said. Recounting the essence of his interactions with Chief Ministers who raised issues concerning their states, Modi said he would look forward to work with each of them closely.

Since June 26 happens to be the day when the Emergency was imposed in 1975, Modi said one of the lessons we have learnt is that democracy cannot sustain without freedom of expression and free speech.