Key Points

In an interview with News 18, the Union Minister said that PM Modi always puts the nation above everything else. Shah asserted that the Prime Minsiter leadership not only strengthened the "economy" but also transformed "India's global standing", "social welfare", and "national security".

Shah said, "When Narendra Modi ji became the Prime Minister, he gave a constitutional guarantee that states' revenue growth rate would be nearly double with tax collections. He made a constitutional promise and fulfilled it. Almost all states will get the payment by November."

Criticising the Congress party for failing to implement GST despite years of discussion, Shah said, "The discussion around GST has been happening since the time of the Congress government, even when Shri Chidambaram was the Finance Minister, and when Shri Pranab Mukherjee was the Finance Minister. The Congress is trying to mislead by saying it was their idea. Fine, if it was your idea, why was it never implemented?"

He explained that the states had resisted the reform due to concerns about revenue shortfall. "Everyone knew that with GST, states' resources would face a shortfall, so states were then demanding guarantees from the Centre. The Congress never gave those guarantees and never created a consensus, which is why GST was never implemented," he added.

"People see that if they pay the tax and increase the government's revenue, the government will pass on the benefits through tax cuts, which in turn strengthens faith in governance. It was invisible since independence, but is now visible for the first time," Shah said.

The Union Minister said that PM Modi's decade in office had "lifted India's pride". "If we talk of achievements, most have come in Modi ji's time. He has increased the pride that every citizen feels and made their heads higher," he emphasised.

The Union Minister also described the coronavirus pandemic as the toughest challenge faced under Modi's leadership. "Today, the whole world accepts that India's Covid management was the best," he said.

He recalled PM Modi's measures such as the Janata Curfew, banging plates, and lighting lamps, saying they created a collective mindset. "Some said banging plates won't stop coronavirus, others said lighting lamps won't help, but these measures helped each and every Indian to create a mindset to unite in fighting the virus," Shah said.

On national security, Shah reaffirmed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had a "strict policy" against terrorism.

"When it comes to surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, this is the BJP's commitment that our government has a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and, under Modi ji's leadership, this is not an empty slogan but a policy," he said.

"Whenever needed, we've been seen strictly following this policy...Operation Sindoor, the way we struck the terror targets, the whole world was left in awe of India's action, and that cannot happen without determination," he added.

Comparing PM Modi with former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Shah said that the prime minister had "transformed India's economy" and "raised living standards" for millions.

"To bring 25 crore people out of poverty is a huge thing. To give 60 crore people toilets, electricity, cooking gas cylinders, 5 kg of food grains per person per month for free, providing treatment up to ₹5 lakh, and delivering clean drinking water to homes. In 11 years, raising the standard of living of 60 crore people, for which they have been waiting for generations, is a major achievement," Shah said.

The Union Minister also credited PM Modi with modernising the armed forces, boosting "Make in India", and moving India from 11th place to 4th in the global economy. "To fix a goal for 2047 to make India a great nation, with the highest position in the world, to awaken such resolve in 140 crore people is a great achievement," he said.

- ANI