As the nation’s elections unfold, the people’s anticipation and engagement reach a crescendo as they determine the leadership for the next five years. As we actively participate in and witness the world’s largest democratic exercise, the political climate of the country has reached its zenith.
To grasp the electoral dynamics, digging deeper into the sentiments and perceptions held by both voters and candidates is essential. Through insights provided by the nation’s leaders, we can unravel the intricate fabric of the ongoing elections.
Joining exclusively with NewsX on ‘The Hot Mic’ is Hardeep Singh Puri with the host Priya Sahgal, Editorial Director. An Indian politician and former diplomat, he currently serves as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India. Notably, he holds the record for the longest-serving Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs in history.
He is a member of the 1974 batch of the Indian Foreign Service and served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. Puri joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2014 and later became a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in November 2020.
Through the interview, he provides insights into the issues shaping the political landscape of the nation during the ongoing elections and helps shed light on the ground realities.
Beginning with the interview..
he expressed his predictions for the poll..
and said, “My prediction in 2019 was against the background of a large number of people saying we were going to lose numbers from 2014, and even in 2014 I got the prediction right. In 2019, I was bang on target; I said over 300, and we got 303.”
He added further, “This time, I’ve conducted my analysis independently. Last time, we had a group of ministers, but it wasn’t necessary this time. All the central government schemes initiated in June 2015 have now yielded results, some of them even in revised versions like Swachh Bharat and Ayushman Bharat, with a total provision of 4,71,000 crores. After accounting for duplication, such as individuals benefiting from multiple schemes, our beneficiaries now exceed 33 crores, up from 22 crores. The electorate has grown by 8 or 9 crores since 2019, yet voter turnout remains similar or slightly better overall.”
Commenting on Gandhi and Kejriwal’s alliance in Punjab..
he said that ” Rahul Gandhi is still talking about pressing the ‘Broom’ button, see what’s happening in the ground”.
He further added about is analysis on one of the Aam Aadmi Party event, that there carders themselves were not present. Then he goes on remarking the alliance just as a ‘hype’.
Hardeep puri singh said, that opposition is playing mind games and that they are bereft of electoral issues and that’s why they are banking on just caste census.
He also commented on Rahul Gandhi’s statement, “Hemant Soren didn’t get bail because he is a dalit”, with a proverb ‘big foot in his mouth’ , which means to say something which can be embarrassing.
He remarks, Rahul Gandhi’s spree of saying anything as “He has lost it” …’and that’s why Gandhi and Kejriwal will make a potent couple”
#TheHotMic | “If you see merit in their narrative, there’s no harm in playing along with it. We proved that we were never going to remove the SC/ST reservation or change it. Pitroda, Jairam Ramesh, and Rahul Gandhi are part of an incorporated limited company only on ‘self-goals,”… pic.twitter.com/Xq8hJJzQSN
— NewsX World (@NewsX) May 23, 2024
On the question about ‘ Opposition taking charge of the narratives”
Puri said, taking an example of reservation narrative of the opposition, where the opposition said that “BJP is going to change/amend the Indian constitution from the reservation perspective”
Puri highlights while replying that Constitution has been amended 80 times and that Congress has amended it
Then taking example of opposition’s another narrative, “democracy is in danger”. He replied wittily that Democracy has been in danger only one time, and that is the date of “emergency” June, 1975, which was a congress tenure.
He goes on highlighting that how Indira Gandhi herself invoked article 356, 50 times and changed the constitution.
Putting a stop to the speculations. He ends with saying “All these examples, have we (BJP) ever amended or tried to Change the constitution”.
