Stick to facts, speak carefully during polls: PM Modi to Ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked his ministerial colleagues to highlight government's development works during the Lok Sabha campaign, urging them to stick to facts and speak carefully.

In a day-long meeting with his Council of Ministers, the PM and his team brainstormed over a vision document for 'Viksit Bharat: 2047' and a detailed action plan for the next five years. In the last such gathering before the Lok Sabha polls, the PM said that "for making India a developed nation by 2047, some big reforms and some governance reset might be need".

Union home minister Amit Shah suggested the need for "reforms in judiciary to reduce pendency of cases".


The meeting was also attended by secretaries in the Union government. They left the venue after making presentations on Viksit Bharat.

Modi asked ministers to be watchful of deepfakes and artificial intelligence, sources told ET.

According to people in the know, Modi cited an anecdote related to the late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan and the then NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Modi said that, during an election when they were at the same place, one of them suggested that they should leave from backdoor otherwise it would create unnecessary buzz, they said. Modi asked the ministers to be 'mindful with whom they are seen in elections'.

Modi also wished his ministers for the Lok Sabha polls and hoped they would meet again. He told bureaucrats that governments might change but governance was continuous and, hence, welfare work should not get impacted, sources said. A 100-day agenda for quick implementation, after the formation of the new government in May, was also discussed.

Several ministries made presentations on their achievements and plans. A broader presentation on Viksit Bharat was made by NITI Aayog and finance ministry. Modi said the budget would show the glimpse of Viksit Bharat. Other presentations, including on Covid management, were also made.