What Modi said: Top quotes from the PM’s London townhall event

If you missed Modi’s over two-hour long townhall event in London, here’s a quick look of what the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi fielded a series of questions at the ‘Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Saath’ townhall event in Central Hall Westminister on Wednesday, addressing a host of issues including the protests surrounding crimes against women in India as well as terrorism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prince Charles during a visit to the science museum in London on Wednesday. (PTI)

Here are the top 10 things he said:

On his government

-- I want this government to be criticised. Criticism makes democracy strong. Democracy cannot succeed without constructive criticism.

-- Our focus is on three things: education for students, employment for youth and medicines for the elderly.

-- I will further cooperation with Saudi Arabia and for the energy needs of India I will also engage with Iran.

Read | Criticism is a goldmine for me, but it is turning into allegations: PM Modi

On terrorism

-- We believe in peace. But we will not tolerate those who like to export terror. We will give back strong answers and in the language they understand. Terrorism will never be accepted.

On India

-- He (Mahatma Gandhi) told every person that whatever you are doing will contribute to India’s freedom. Today, the need of the hour is to make development a mass movement.

-- If a person has a cycle, a person aspires a scooter. If a person has a scooter, a person aspires a car. It is natural to aspire. India is getting increasingly aspirational.

On violence against women

-- We always ask our daughters about what they are doing, where they are going. We must ask our sons too. The person who is committing these crimes is also someone’s son. He has a mother too in his house.

Read | ‘Rape is rape’, don’t politicise: Modi amid outrage over Kathua, Unnao case

About Modi

-- I know the day I stop being impatient, I will be of no use to the country.

-- I am like any common citizen. I do not need to read books to understand poverty. I have lived in poverty, I know what it is to be poor and belong to the backward sections of society.

-- The person in the Railway Station was Narendra Modi. The person in the Royal Palace in London is the Sevak of 125 crore Indians. My life at the Railway Station taught me so much. It was about my personal struggles. When you said Royal Palace, it is not about me but about the 125 crore people of India.