PM Modi a listening leader: Piyush Goyal on NDA 3.0’s ‘U-turns’ in first 100 days

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has rejected the Opposition’s charge of the NDA government making ‘U-turns’ in its first 100 days, saying it was only a reflexion of a “listening government”.
Speaking exclusively to India Today TV on the first 100 days of the NDA government’s third term, Piyush Goyal said, “PM Modi is the longest serving popular leader elected by the people, if you combine his term as Gujarat’s Chief Minister as well. One thing which he has consistently followed and which is a distinct trait of a good leader is that he is a listening leader.”
“He is a leader who’s responsive to the needs of the times and the needs of the people. He has never shied away from being willing to change track but always has remained on the course to do what is best for the country. So, I don’t think there’s been any U-turn,” he added.
On Monday, the Congress claimed that Narendra Modi, in his third term, had proven to be a “weak” Prime Minister who was dependent on allies and made U-turns on issues of lateral entry in civil services, broadcast bill, Waqf bill, indexation and the National Pension Scheme.
Goyal, however, said it was a reflexion of a listening government who felt that nobody should be disadvantaged because of its actions.
“I don’t see any rollback. These are small issues where we have demonstrated to the people of India that this government and this leader cares for his people, listens to them, and is always willing to have changes along the way,” the minister said.
The Opposition has claimed that the Modi government is dependent on its NDA allies after the BJP failed to win complete majority in the Lok Sabha elections.
On this, Piyush Goyal said the BJP respected its allies and worked with them in 2014 and 2019 even when they won full majority.
“In 2014 and 2019, when we on our own had an absolute majority, we respected our alliance and we did not tell the allies that now you’re not required so we’ll form our own government,” Goyal said.
“That is the credibility of a tall leader, a visionary, and a leader who’s clearly today the world’s most popular leader,” he added.