With his ‘I challenge every challenge' talk, PM Modi exhorts students to fight back

New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said it is in his nature to "challenge every challenge" and asserted that he looked for a way to deal with poverty in the country instead of just sitting on the issue like others.

In reply to a question during his annual 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme on how he keeps a positive mindset amid the challenges of his job, Modi said every person has to manage situations and tests, and some people believe in waiting for the crises to pass and circumstances to improve. Such people cannot achieve anything in life, he added.

"My nature is different. I do not keep sleeping while waiting for challenges to pass and the situation to improve on its own. I challenge every challenge and I get to learn new things and evolve new strategies, which also contributes to my development," the prime minister told students.

Modi said he was confident that over 140 crore citizens of the country were with him. If there are 100 million challenges, then there are billions of solutions as well, he said and cited his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as an example.

"I never feel that I am alone... I always feel that my country is capable and competent, and we will overcome all challenges. I always feel there are 140 crore people and they will manage it but I will have to be at the front. If something wrong happens, I must take the blame," the prime minister said.

That is why, Modi said, he was putting his energy into developing the country's capability as this would boost its strength to challenge the challenges.

While every government has had to deal with the challenge of poverty, the prime minister said, he did not sit around feeling scared about it and instead, found a way to deal with it.

The prime minister said the government alone cannot eradicate poverty and it can be curbed when every poor person resolves to step up.

"It is my responsibility that I fulfil their dreams, give them pucca houses, toilets, educational facilities, health insurance, water... If I give them the freedom from challenges to deal with daily issues and empower them, they will find that poverty is gone," he said, adding that nearly 25 crore people came out of poverty during his 10-year tenure.

"I could also have passed (time) just as others did," he said.

Modi said he never felt lonely or that he was merely a "chaiwala" who cannot do it.

He said that one should have immense trust in those for whom one is working. One should set priorities that come with experience, he added.

"Even if I make mistakes, I take it as a lesson. I do not consider this as a matter of disappointment...," he said.

"COVID-19 was a severe challenge. The entire world was stuck. I could have also said what can be done as it's a pandemic and please take care of yourselves. I did not do that. I came every day on TV, interacted with people regularly, and asked them sometimes to clap, bang thalis and light diyas... These actions did not eliminate corona but gave birth to a collective strength to fight Covid," Modi said.

The prime minister further said sportspersons were earlier left to fend for themselves but he decided to celebrate their achievements irrespective of the scale of their wins. Now, they have won 107 medals, he said about India's record haul at the recent Asian Games.

Those who have competence should be utilised and there should be a system of perfect information flow from bottom to top and a system of perfect guidance from top to bottom, he said.

"I have shut all doors to disappointment, not even a single window is open. I never sit and cry about what will happen, will he or she come with us or not, will this happen or not…. When there is no selfish motive, there is never any confusion in a decision," he said, drawing cheers from the audience. PTI