The programme “My booth is a strong booth” is an initiative by the Prime Minister himself to interact with the party workers and clear their doubts via the NaMo app. He stated that workers are the major reason behind the party’s success. However, on December 19, the live interaction backfired when a party worker pointed out the tax burden that middle-class people face and govt is just busy in collecting taxes. After the incident, the Prime Minister’s Office(PMO) has decided to be doubly careful and scrutinise both the questions and the person asking it before the programme reported The Times Of India.
PM provides assurance instead of an answer
On December 19, Modi was interacting with party workers from Vellore, Viluppuram, South Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Puducherry, via video conference. Nirmal Kumar Jain took the opportunity and raised a concern regarding the tax burden on middle-class people.
He asked,“Honourable Prime Minister.. I am grateful for this opportunity to speak to you. My question is the work that you are doing to change the country is undoubtedly a good step but the middle sections of people are of the opinion that your government is only busy collecting tax in all manner and in all ways. They did not get the relaxation they were hoping for in IT sector, loan processing procedure and bank transaction fees and penalty. It is my request that take care of the middle class, which is the root of your party, like the way you take care while collecting tax from them. Thank you sir.” [Source: The News Minute]
The reply from PM’s end was an awkward smile and an assurance that he is doing everything in his capability to make this country better. Prime Minister replied, “Thank you, Nirmal ji. You are a trader, so it’s normal that you will talk business. I favour taking care of common people and the common people will be taken care of, I assure you”. To avoid the embarrassment, PM ended the conversation saying, “Chaliye Puducherry ko Wanakkam.”
Epic reply to Party worker when he said ‘Middle class is of the opinion that your govt is only busy collecting tax. They did not get the relaxation they were hoping for in IT sector, loan processing procedure and bank transaction fees and penalty’
"Chaliye puducherry ko Wanakkam" pic.twitter.com/m4ZITfjGZh— Zoo Bear (@zoo_bear) December 20, 2018
Party to put special efforts to pick questions
After the incident, the Prime Minister’s Office is now going to take extra efforts in picking both the candidates and their questions for the interaction programme. According to The Times of India, sources in the party have commanded the party workers who are keen to interact with the Prime Minister, to shoot and send a video before 48 hours of Sunday’s programme. A source said that they are double checking the entire process to circumvent such question which was raised by Nirmal Jain in Puducherry. The party gets a response of around 500 to 1000 questions from each constituency present in the programme.
One of the party functionaries said that the incident happened in Puducherry was a lesson for them.
After the video went viral, the incident has again started the buzz on PM’s ability to answer unscripted interviews and not doing a single press conference in the last four and a half years.
