NEVER SEEN A PM LIKE THIS BEFORE: TEJASHWI YADAV

NEVER SEEN A PM LIKE THIS BEFORE: TEJASHWI YADAV

20-MAY-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has issued a strong statement regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway. While interacting with media personnel in Patna, Tejashwi remarked, "To this day, he has never held a press conference, and I expect that he will not do so in the future either. PM Modi ought to listen to the public's questions and provide answers to them. Every time he appears, he simply states his own points and leaves, washing his hands of every issue."

Tejashwi Yadav continued, "Whether it is a matter of what to buy or what not to buy—amidst shortages of petrol and diesel, [he suggests] 'don't buy gold'—the public is distressed by such things." He asserted, "This constitutes a failure on the part of the Prime Minister. It is the duty of the government and PM Modi to resolve problems whenever they arise. They should provide relief and facilities to the people; however, for the first time, we have witnessed a Prime Minister who instead dictates to the public, telling them, 'Do this' and 'Do that.' This is a matter of grave concern." Furthermore, commenting on the rising prices of petrol and diesel, he predicted, "Prices are set to rise even further. The Prime Minister is determined to hit a 'double century' [cross the 200-mark]."

It is noteworthy that PM Modi is currently on a visit to Norway, where he delivered a joint statement alongside the Norwegian Prime Minister but declined to answer questions from the media. Norwegian journalist Hele Ling shared a video related to this incident on her social media platform, in which PM Modi is seen walking away immediately after the conclusion of the joint statement. During this moment, a female voice can be heard asking why questions from the representatives of the world's freest press are not being entertained.

In her post, journalist Hele Ling noted that Norway ranks first on the Press Freedom Index, whereas India stands at the 157th position. She emphasized that the primary role of journalists is to hold governments accountable by asking questions—a practice around which tensions have currently been running high.

It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a tour spanning five nations. Norway marks the fourth leg of this diplomatic journey. Prior to this, he visited the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Following his visit to Norway, he is scheduled to travel to Italy for the final leg of his tour.