Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
The crowd was delighted to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi among them, and they were certainly elated after he spoke, judging from the frequent bouts of cheering that concluded most of his answers.
On an official visit to the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 18 April, addressed the 'Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London, where he spoke about the recent brutal rapes in India and also warned Pakistan against “exporting terror”.
At the diaspora event, moderated by CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) chairperson Prasoon Joshi, Modi also emphasised his government's "development" and "pro-poor" agenda, saying that the days of incremental change are over, and even took digs at previous governments.
Addressing Kathua after a national uproar, he said:
There can be nothing worse than this. Rape is rape. It is extremely sad. We ask our daughters what they are doing where they are going. We must ask our sons too.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India
PM Modi also warned Pakistan and said India will not tolerate those who export terror and will respond to them in the language as he referred to the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the LoC.
He moved on to talk about his frequent international trips, claiming that he will go to Israel and Palestine if needed. He also added the names of Iran and Saudi Arabia to the same list.
On the topic of criticism, PM Modi asserted that it is one of the best facets of a democracy and he feels fortunate everytime people discuss his work.
But my concern is not criticism or discussion. For that, one needs to conduct fair research to find proper relevant information and facts. But no one has the time for that. People are rushing to break the news. This is when criticism turns into allegations.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India
Emphasising his poor childhood and early life as a chaiwala, Modi said that he is committed towards working for the the marginalised and the downtrodden sections of society.
He went on to add that his government has left no stone unturned when it comes to doing good for the country.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)