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Bringing Back Black Money
The federal government is scouring the globe for billions of dollars of what is being dubbed
“black money,”
or what has been described as cash stashed away in overseas bank
accounts as a way to evade tax. Last week Mr. Modi’s administration
handed the Supreme Court a list of 627 Indians – high-profile
businessmen and former lawmakers of the rival Congress party, among
others — who it said operated foreign bank accounts and should be
investigated for wrongdoing. Many, including the former additional
solicitor general of India, have criticized the disclosure as
politically motivated.
Mr. Modi took to the state-run All India Radio to defend his
administration’s handling of the matter. “There may be disagreements
over our ways and means,” he said. “But my countrymen, as far as I
understand and from the knowledge I have, I assure you we’re on the
right track,” he added. “Have faith on your chief public servant.”
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Keep India Clean
Mr. Modi asked Indians not to litter and to keep the country
clean. Last month, on the anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi,
the prime minister launched a campaign called “Clean India,” which he
began by sweeping a dirty street in New Delhi. Soon after, he said,
letters began pouring in from railway passengers to parents, detailing
their commitment to keep India clean. “Everyone is now thinking, ‘This
is my country, I will not live in a dirty country,’” Mr. Modi said.
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Push for Good Governance
In a sharp contrast to his predecessors, Mr. Modi articulated a
view that often dominates newspaper headlines in India. “Sometimes I
feel the people of the country are way ahead; the government is the one
lagging behind.” He went on to emphasize on the need for change in a
bureaucracy many consider snail-paced. “I say this with experience: I
think it is important for the government to change how it thinks.”
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Help Disabled Children
Mr. Modi outlined efforts to help handicapped children, who
were the focus of his first radio talk last month. Among other
initiatives, he said his government will award scholarships to at least a
thousand disabled children who wish to pursue their higher education in
technical industries. An amount of 100,000 rupees ($1,628) will also be
earmarked for each of the 1,094 federal-run Kendriya Vidyalaya schools
for creation of disabled-friendly infrastructure such as ramps and
special toilets, Mr. Modi said.
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Say No To Drugs
A section of Mr. Modi’s broadcast touched on a topic that’s
seldom featured in political speeches here: drugs and addiction. Mr.
Modi said a letter he received had requested him to speak about the
ill-effects of drugs, something he said visiting “mothers, sisters” and
doctor-friends would often discuss with him. His next radio broadcast,
he said, would focus on the loss to India’s economy from drug abuse, and
welcomed listeners to write to him about their experiences battling
drug addiction.
Click here to
listen to his full broadcast and here to
read a transcript in Hindi.
