New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted yet another video on Instagram Friday night, where he said he wanted to forgive the young protesters who hurled abuses at him and his late mother during the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
This video comes a day after a Gurugram woman was booked for purportedly using expletives against the PM, with the FIR stating that her remarks “hurt the dignity of the constitutional post” and were intended to disturb public peace.
In his video, yet another vertical reel, PM Modi started off by saying: “Hi friends, today I feel like talking only to you. The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar; some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses. Words were used that do not behoove civilised society—directed not just at me, but even at my late mother.”
However, he added, mistakes happen when one is young, and it is a time when one can correct them. “That is simply the nature of being young. And so, I can understand the anger within society.”
Seeing “daughters” use such language came as a “cultural shock”, he added. “Yet, this is the time to embrace these youngsters and show them the right path. They have lost their way; it is our duty to guide them. Punishing them, dragging them through court proceedings, or harassing them in society will not change the situation. I want to forgive them. I hope society accepts this sentiment.”
The PM went on to say: “Sometimes, we accidentally bite our own tongue with our teeth. It might bleed, but we do not break the teeth. Both the teeth and the tongue are ours. These youngsters are ours too, and guiding them is our responsibility. Showing the right path to those who have been led astray is difficult, but it is a task we must undertake.”
He finished off by saying: “And so, I say to these youngsters: come, let us move forward together for the sake of the country. Let us learn something new. Let us learn from our mistakes and pursue our dreams. The nation is advancing rapidly, and my dream is to ensure that you, too, move forward and succeed. That is what I live for, I work for your bright future. Learn from mistakes and move forward.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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