Union Minister Smriti Irani took a dig at the Congress’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying the grand old party was marching to “save its dynasty” while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ensuring prosperity for the people through his government’s policies.
In an exclusive interview with India Today TV with News Director Rahul Kanwal on the sidelines of the 54th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Smriti Irani cited the statements of Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on the BJP’s prospects in the Lok Sabha polls.
“The fact that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was articulate enough to say they cannot fight Modi magic and Shashi Tharoor accepting that BJP will be the single largest party, I think the writing is on the wall for them. The Congress and INDIA bloc suffered an overwhelming defeat in the recent assembly polls. So, while they march for dynasty, PM Modi marches ahead for prosperity for all,” she said.
ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Irani spoke about how India was leading the Artificial Intelligence alliance (AI) globally and said the country was creating a conscious and consensus use of the technology.
“PM Modi speaks about AI not only from the perspective of businesses or manufacturing but how we can leverage our education potential better with AI. And also at the same time, being responsible enough to ensure AI products are watermarked, which PM Modi has spoken about while articulating his position on deepfakes,” she said.
ON INDIA’S RISING GLOBAL STATURE
Smriti Irani acknowledged India’s rising global stature and cited the example of the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 forum. She described India as a resolute voice for the global South.
“We have globally ascertained our position for ourselves. We work not only for the benefits of citizens but also for the global good as well,” she said.
“In the wake of the pandemic, we did not hold our supply chains hostage due to geopolitical reasons. We not only helped provide pharma for our countrymen, but we did so for the world. We innovated very frugally. Our success with space technology and the depth of digital engagements, not only financially but socially, give the world much to think about and celebrate,” she added.
Speaking about her recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the Union Minister said her engagements in the Gulf country were an extension of the cordial ties between PM Modi and the Arab leaders.
“PM Modi talks about ‘sabka saath, sabka vikaas, sabka prayaas‘…. Haj will start when the elections will be at the avail. It will be a logistical nightmare for bureaucrats. So, we are making efforts to ensure things pan out smoothly. We have 1.2 million Indians who go for ‘Umra‘. For instance, 47 per cent of women went to Haj in 2023,” she said.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Smriti Irani, who holds the Women and Child Development portfolio, said the BJP was the first political party which institutionalised reservation for women within the party and stated the move has borne fruit.
“When women are in administrative and constitutional positions, the taxpayers’ money is directed to their education, health, social infrastructure and ensuring the security of livelihoods at the grassroots,” she said.
“When women are politically empowered, they do well to serve the cause of larger communities, which is a win-win not only for them but also for men and children alike,” she further said.
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