BJP’s campaign committee chief Narendra Modi on Saturday said voters should be given the right to reject candidates as this will help bring dedicated and clean people into politics.
He was speaking to some 200 youngsters at the Young Indian leader’s Conclave organised by the Council of Accountable Governance, in Gandhinagar. The Gujarat Chief Minister also said compulsory voting would strengthen the democracy and force parties to avoid people with criminal background.
Modi touched upon a whole range of subjects. He said that as arable land was reducing constantly, technology would be the only option to increase production. “Gujarat will organise Asia’s largest Agrotech fair in September,” the Chief Minister added.
On the UPA’s policy to increase export of mutton, he felt it would ruin the dairy sector, as more people engaged in animal husbandry would send their cattle for the slaughter, as prices of meat increase. He slammed the Centre for its dairy products import agreements.
The CM felt that when it comes to manufacturing and economic development, India should compete with China in Asia, rather than countries like Pakistan. He also mooted Singapore as the benchmark for urban development. Modi said he was once shocked to hear the Prime Minister address people from Red Fort as Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh. “leaders should not divide people with classification,” he said.
The function was inaugurated by former president APJ Abdul Kalam. Speaking on the topic, ‘Economically Developed India: How to Realise,’ Kalam emphasised that a nation needs to be energy independent, have clean environment and sound water management policies.
He added that agriculture, industry and service sector need to be empowered through inclusive governance.Modi said he was pained by the lack in girls’ education, adding that Gujarat came at 20th position in the country.
However, his Government has worked towards more teachers and created a better infrastructure to make sure not a single child remains uneducated. “The Government travels to villages to assess the state of schools and students. The situation has improved greatly,” he added.