"Criticism Is Soul Of Democracy": PM Modi On Lex Fridman Podcast

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a podcast with US computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman, called criticism the "soul of democracy", which he welcomes. But genuine criticism that is "sharp, and well informed", is hard to find these days, he said, making the point that there is a difference between criticism and allegations.  

Asked about criticism levelled at him and how he deals with it, PM Modi said he welcomes it. 

"I have a strong belief that criticism is the soul of democracy. If democracy truly runs in your veins, you must embrace it," he said. He said he welcomes criticism and there should be more of it. "We should have more criticism, and it should be sharp and well-informed...  In our scriptures, it's said: "Always keep your critics close". Critics should be your nearest companions because through genuine criticism, you can improve quickly and work democratically with better insights".

"In fact, I believe we should have more criticism, and it should be sharp and well-informed. But my real complaint is that nowadays, what we see isn't real criticism," he said. 

"Genuine criticism requires thorough study, in-depth research, and careful analysis. It demands finding the truth from falsehoods. Today, people look for shortcuts, avoid proper research... Instead of identifying genuine weaknesses, they jump straight to accusations," he said.

For a strong democracy, genuine criticism is necessary, PM Modi said, "Allegations benefit no one; they just cause unnecessary conflicts. That's why I always welcome criticism openly. And whenever false accusations arise, I calmly continue serving my country with complete dedication".

PM On His Childhood

In an overaching interview, PM Modi spoke of his childhood, recalling life at home and pepering it with multiple reminiscences -- from fasting and poverty, to lunching at the White House with US President Barack Obama and leading a country of a billion-plus at the time of Covid.

Starting with hos fasting was a scientific process -- since Fridman had fasted for 45 hours in preparation for the intreview, PM Modi spoke of his village in Gujarat and the simple life he led at home with his family. 

He recalled how as a boy, he had to whiten canvas shoes with chalk, and press his clothes with a copper pot fillied with hot water 

"But we never felt that we were poor," he said.  "You see, someone who is used to wearing fine shoes will feel their absence when they don't have them. But for us, we had never worn shoes in our lives,
so how would we even know that wearing shoes was a big deal? We weren't in a position to compare. That's just how we lived," he said. 

PM On Ukraine and Pakistan

In the three-hour-plus interview, there were also references to Pakistan and the war in Ukraine, his long working hours and the way he makes his decisions. 

Underscoring that both both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table, he said, "The world has been grappling with a food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis. So, the global community should unite in the pursuit of peace. As for me, I have always maintained that I stand with peace. I am not neutral. I have a stance, and that is peace. And peace is what I strive for".

Talking of Pakistan, he said the country has "Time and again they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don't mistake this for ideology. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror? And we are not the sole victims of this menace. Wherever terror strikes in the world, the trail somehow leads to Pakistan".