‘Modi Will Come and Go’: On 50th Episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Reveals Why He Never Talked Politics
‘Modi Will Come and Go’: On 50th Episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Reveals Why He Never Talked Politics
Speaking on the radio show, Modi said he had decided before the very first episode that the platform would not be used for political gains. “The biggest help in staying true to this resolve were the people who wrote to me before every episode,” he said.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 50th episode of his monthly radio address Mann ki Baat on Sunday, revealing how the idea came into being and why he never spoke about politics in it.

Speaking on the radio show, Modi said he had decided before the very first episode that the platform would not be used for political gains. “The biggest help in staying true to this resolve were the people who wrote to me before every episode,” he said.

“Modi will come and go, but the nation always comes first. The stories shared by 130 crore Indians will live on,” the PM said.

Sharing an anecdote from 1998 when he was visiting Himachal Pradesh for a BJP event, Modi revealed it was his conversation with a tea seller that led to Mann ki Baat 16 years later. The PM shared with the listeners how the tea seller was celebrating the Pokhran nuclear test after hearing the news on the radio.

Mann ki Baat has in its previous episodes covered issues of social, national as well as international implication: education of the girl child, tackling exam stress, climate change and drug menace.

In October 2014, in the very first episode of the programme, PM Modi urged citizens to use at least one khadi product, saying it would help poor weavers.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office issued Friday said that after the episode was aired, the sale of khadi products went up by 120 per cent.

The 'Mann ki Baat' programme is broadcast every month on the last Sunday on the All India Radio and the Doordarshan.

Taking cue from a listener, Modi dedicated the entire December 2014 episode to making India drug-free. He requested all those active on the social media to create a continuous online movement by using #DrugsFreeIndia hashtag.

The episode in January 2015, was the first ever joint radio address by an Indian Prime Minister and an American President.

PM Modi and then US President Barack Obama shared some personal stories and accounts and answered questions like "what makes you smile after a long day at work? or "did you ever think you would reach the position you have reached today?"

The PM also discussed how exams should be celebrated as a festival. The PM followed it up with a book titled "Exam Warriors" which discussed how to deal with exam pressure as well as a community-driven initiative to make exams fun.

In May 2015, the PM talked extensively about June 21 being declared by the United Nations as the 'International Yoga Day'.

In June 2015, the prime minister shared the account of a Haryana village sarpanch who launched #SelfieWithDaughter campaign and the hashtag soon became a social media rage with millions of posts from citizens from all walks of life -- celebrities, national as well as global leaders, the statement said.

Modi had termed the initiative special for Haryana as the state has a skewed sex ratio.

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