Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sidestepped the Opposition’s demand that he speak out on controversies engulfing his government, devoting his “Mann ki Baat” radio address to welfare schemes, the success of International Yoga Day and the need to save the girl child.
Though Mr. Modi had not been previously averse to using the monthly programme to transmit a political message, he indicated toward the end of the address that it was not meant for big political statements; it was more in the nature of a personal conversation. “People expect that during ‘Mann ki Baat’, I will talk about big plans of the government. That is not correct. This is only a place where I make light conversation with people,” he said.
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Mr. Modi spoke on issues which could be perceived to be of concern to the common people. He mentioned three social security schemes and the ambitious plan to provide Housing for All by 2022, the 75th anniversary of Independence. He spoke of the need to save water and plant trees to save the environment and how the world was taking India more seriously by participating in events such as Yoga Day.
He encouraged people to engage with him on social media and pitched for a campaign to save the girl child. He mentioned that a Sarpanch of Bibipur village in Haryana, Sunil Jaglan, had started a “Selfie with daughter” competition. He asked fathers to send such selfies to him, saying he would re-tweet the good ones.
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During his “Mann ki Baat” radio address on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent a good amount of time speaking on the welfare of girls and women.
“In Haryana, the number of girls is lower than that of boys. Across the country, there are about 100 districts where the situation is worrisome. In Haryana, the situation is more serious,” he said.
“It gives pleasure that in the same Haryana, a Sarpanch of a small village can give such a dimension to the Beti Bachao programme [by launching a ‘Selfie with daughter’ programme’. It raises new hopes. That is why I appreciate this initiative. But it also gives me an inspiration and that is why I urge you to click pictures with your daughters and post those on #selfiewithdaughter,” Mr. Modi said.
Within hours of the speech, the hashtag #SelfiewithDaughter became a worldwide trend on Twitter.
Mr. Modi asked people to ensure that in the run-up to Raksha Bandhan, women got benefits of the social security schemes launched by the government.
“In August, we have Raksha Bandhan. We can begin a mass movement to ensure that all women and sisters of our country get all security scheme benefits before Raksha Bandhan,” he said.
“Whether it is a woman working as a maid in our house or in our fields or whether it is our own sisters, we can ensure that they avail themselves of social security schemes,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Modi expressed satisfaction over the “great response” to #IncredibleIndia and Yoga Day. “So many people shared #IncredibleIndia photos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. We will continue this. The world must see the glimpses of #IncredibleIndia,” he said.
On Yoga Day celebrations, he noted that the event was observed across the world.
“The rays of the sun were welcomed by yoga all over the world on Yoga Day on June 21. On June 21, when I saw glimpses of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon doing yoga at the U.N. headquarters, I felt very happy. I am also happy that the armed forces joined in the Yoga Day celebrations,” he said.