Have patience; govt 'running' for reforms, Naidu assures industry

Comment follows criticism by eminent banker Deepak Parekh that impatience has begun creeping in among businessmen

Asking Indian industry to show "patience" over reforms and development, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the government is "running", not walking, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The comments assume significance as they follow criticism by eminent banker Deepak Parekh that impatience has begun creeping in among businessmen as nothing has changed on ground in the first nine months of the Modi-led government.

"Today when I am trying to push certain reforms, I have to go carefully. Take the people along with me and others also...And then only I can move forward. This is the system, this is the constitution," said the Parliamentary and Urban Development Minister, while addressing the members in industry body CII here.

"So please understand. Have some patience, this government is only nine months old," he added.

"In nine months, normally, one starts walking but this government is running. Prime Minister Modi is practically running. He wants actions, reforms and development," he said.

Some people were happy while some were critical of the government, Naidu said indicating to Parekh's recent remarks.

"One of the leading bankers also recently said that the pace is slow. Sir, try to understand the system. Without that you can not move, (otherwise) you will be called a dictator and you can not be a dictator. You are not in emergency (rule) and we do not want to have an emergency. We want urgency, not emergency," he stressed.

Naidu, who is also Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said the government wants to do things at a faster pace and is moving in that direction taking along people, parliament, political parties and media with it as it is a democracy.

"I have to go to Lok Sabha, then to Rajya Sabha, otherwise it (reform) will go to parlok sabha", he said in a lighter vein.

He said the NDA government has inherited an economy of several deficits including fiscal, trade, CAD, governance as well as trust deficit.

"Now the trust is coming back. The leadership is coming back, the economy is back on rails. But I know some of you (industry) are impatient. Things are not happening? You should have moved faster? But you should understand that we are a democracy," he said.