india

Updated: Jun 30, 2019 20:39 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made three requests on his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address after returning to power while inviting his listeners to help fulfill them. As his first request, he asked for starting a people’s movement (jan andolan) for water conservation on the lines of Swacchta Mission- one of the NDA government’s flagship programmes. In his second request, he asked people to “share traditional knowledge on water conservation” passed through generations and lastly, he requested that names of people and organizations working for water conservation be shared for creation of a unique national database.

Twitter handles #Janshakti and #Jalshakti could be used for sharing content relevant to this mission, he suggested.

Highlighting the importance his government accorded to water conservation, PM mentioned that though his government had created a separate water ministry, the crisis could only be solved with people’s cooperation.

A related audio message of the village head of Lupung Panchayat in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district was also played out on PM’s programme. The village head said that he was both inspired and surprised on receiving a letter from PM Modi requesting his cooperation in water conservation efforts. Inspired villagers, he said, were able to revive a local pond for water conservation.

Earlier in his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to controversies over his Kedarnath trip and the last “Mann Ki Baat” address apart from reminding his listeners of the importance of upholding democracy and reading books.

His radio address began with a clarification on his trip to Kedarnath shrine before the last phase of general elections. He said it was not a political trip but an opportunity for him to meet his inner self.

“Most people saw political meaning in it, but for me, it was an opportunity to meet my inner self. In one way it helped me fill the void left by ‘Mann ki Baat’ in the interim,” PM said

PM also rejected allegations that he had used February’s last “Mann Ki Baat” episode before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls-- to make a poll pitch.

“People had given political meaning even to my promise to return on “Mann ki Baat,” after the completion of the polls. Critics called it ‘over confidence’ but it was your confidence that has aided my return. I couldn’t have come back on my own unless you invited me,” he said.

PM also spoke about the Emergency in 1977 and how fundamental rights were trampled during this period, while emphasising the importance of polls in upholding democracy. ““Similarly, in day-to-day life, it is difficult to savour the joy of democratic rights, unless they are snatched away. During Emergency, every citizen of the country had started getting the feeling that something that belonged to him had been snatched away. ,” he said.

“Democracy is about respecting every single voter,” he added, recounting how electoral officers travelled for two days to set up a polling booth for a single woman in a remote Himachal location in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls.

PM Narendra Modi said he was happy to see a positive response to his previous request --to inculcate a habit of reading books-- made to all his listeners. He said he was recently gifted a book of Premchand’s popular stories and it reminded him of the social challenges he grappled with in his youth.

“Though, I didn’t have enough time, I yet tried to read some of Premchand’s stories again. I was reminded of my youth when we used to discuss the issues raised in Premchand’s stories.” He mentioned “Eidgah” and “Poos Ki Raat” among Premchand’s stories that had impacted him. He spoke about the courage of Haamid (Eidgah) despite the crippling poverty faced by him and his grandmother Ameena.

He praised a library started in Kerala which he said was “proving to be a guiding light for the tribal children in the state.”

He also asked “Mann ki Baat” listeners to give him feedback on Narendra Modi App on books they enjoyed.

PM Narendra Modi’s radio programme “Mann Ki Baat” resumed today almost a month after the PM returned to power. This was the first ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme in Modi’s second consecutive term as the Prime Minister.

The PM had last spoken on the radio programme when it aired in February this year and had promised to return with “Mann Ki Baat” after the polls.

The BJP is attempting to take PM’s monthly radio programme reach more people this time by making special arrangements and utilising all possible means.

The programme broadcasts on the last Sunday of the month and suggestions, stories and ideas are invited from people for it.