Govt didn't get even 100 hours of honeymoon period: Narendra Modi

Prime Minister says his entire team has devoted every single moment for the welfare of the people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government hadn’t got the luxury of a ‘honeymoon period’ — even of 100 days, let alone more — as allegations against his government started flying in less than 100 hours of its taking charge. The PM, in possibly a criticism of Delhi’s established power elite, said a big challenge for him in the past 30 days had been conveying to a “select group of people”, both within and outside the government, his intentions and sincerity to bring a positive change in the country.

“There were some instances last month with which our government had nothing to do, yet these controversies persisted. I don’t blame anybody but I surely feel we need to strengthen systems so that the right things are communicated to the right people at the right time. Hopefully, things will change then,” Modi said in ‘A few thoughts as we complete a month in office’, a letter to the nation, of nearly 500 words, posted on his website on Thursday.

The PM acknowledged that the overwhelming support and affection of the people inspired his government to “work even harder”. He said “67 years of previous governments are nothing compared to a month”, but every decision his government took during the 30 days was “guided solely by national interest”.

In his ‘thoughts’, Modi reassured all who had suggested he might take a year or two to understand the nuances of running the central government. “When we took charge a month ago, I kept thinking that I am new to this place and some people believed I would take at least a year, or even two, to learn the intricacies of the working of the central government. Fortunately, a month later, that thought does not exist any longer in my mind,” Modi said. He credited the tremendous increase in his confidence and determination to the collective experience and wisdom of his ministerial colleagues, his experience as a four-time chief minister of Gujarat and support he had received from his officials.

The ‘thoughts’ convey Modi’s sense that he rates some of his government’s criticism  as not entirely fair. “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 100 days and even beyond. Not unexpectedly, I don’t have any such luxury.” Modi added: “Forget 100 days, the series of allegations began in less than a 100 hours.” But “these things do not matter” when one is working with the sole aim of serving the nation determinedly.

“That is why I keep working and that is most satisfying.”

The PM said the detailed presentations his ministers and officials had made to him in the past few days “have enabled a wonderful exchange of thoughts and ideas and we have come up with excellent road maps for the various ministries and departments”. He noted about his meetings with chief ministers of several states: “I look forward to working closely with them in the times to come.”

Modi ended the letter with a mention of June 26 as an important date for him personally, as it not only marked the completion of a month of “our journey to fulfil the aspirations of the people” but also the day when the Emergency had started in 1975. Modi called it an important phase of his life that taught him the significance of a vibrant democracy. “As a youngster, I have several memories of those testing times,” Modi said.

He said the Emergency stood out “as one of the darkest periods in India’s history and is a grim reminder of the dangers associated with subverting freedom of speech, press, expression and silencing opposition. Our democracy will not sustain if we can’t guarantee freedom of speech and expression”.

“Today is also a day to reaffirm our pledge to safeguard these values and, at the same time, create strong institutions through good governance, so that we never ever see those dark days again,” the PM said, with an assurance that his government was committed to taking India to greater heights in the years to come.

Bharatiya Janata Party observers saw in Modi’s ‘thoughts’ an echo of how as prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would pen his thoughts, which would be released for wider circulation. Vajpayee’s most famous was ‘My Musings from Kumarakom’, a series of two articles he wrote during his holidays in Kerala towards the end of December 2000. He also wrote ‘Thoughts from Manali’ in June 2004, less than a month after his National Democratic Alliance government lost power.

FULL TEXT OF THIS BLOG:

Dear Friends,

 

Today our Government completes a month in office. The support and affection of the people has been overwhelming and this inspires us to work even harder.

 

67 years of previous governments is nothing compared to 1 month, but I do want to say that in the last month, our entire team has devoted every single moment for the welfare of the people. Every decision we took has been guided solely by national interest.

 

When we took over a month ago, I kept thinking that I am new to this place and some people believed that I would take at least a year or even two to learn the intricacies of the working of the Central Government. Fortunately, a month later that thought does not exist any longer in my mind. My confidence and determination has increased tremendously and I credit a substantial part of this to the collective experience and wisdom of my ministerial colleagues and also to my experiences as a four time Chief Minister. The affection of the people and support from officials has also added to this confidence in large measure.

 

Over the past few days I have been meeting Ministers and Officials from various departments who have been making detailed presentations to me. I must share that these presentations have enabled a wonderful exchange of thoughts and ideas and we have come up with excellent roadmaps for the various ministries and departments.

 

CMs of several states have met me in the past month. They have extended their good wishes and talked about issues concerning their state. I look forward to working closely with them in the times to come.

 

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. These are people who are both within and outside the government system. 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.

 

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’ upto 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 do not matter. That is why I keep working and that is most satisfying.

 

26th of June is an important date for me. It marks the completion of one month of our journey to fulfil the aspirations of the people. This day is also another landmark day, when in 1975 I witnessed an important phase that taught me the significance of a vibrant democracy.  26th June was the day when the Emergency started, having been imposed an evening earlier. As a youngster, I have several memories of those testing times.

 

The Emergency surely stands out as one of the darkest periods in our history and is a grim reminder of the dangers associated with subverting freedom of speech, press, expression and silencing opposition. Our democracy will not sustain if we can’t guarantee freedom of speech and expression. Today is also a day to reaffirm our pledge to safeguard these values and at the same time create strong institutions through good governance so that that we never ever see those dark days again.

 

Once again I salute the people of India for their strong support and good wishes as we complete a month in office. I assure you that we are committed to taking India to greater heights in the years to come.

 

Yours,

 

Narendra Modi