Modi Says Urjit Patel Wanted To Resign Six To Seven Months Earlier Because Of Personal Reasons
There was no political pressure on Urjit Patel to quit, Modi tells ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that former Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel wanted to resign much earlier because of personal reasons and there was no question of any political pressure on him.
“He himself requested (to resign) on personal reasons. I am revealing for the first time. He was telling me about it for the past six-seven months before his resignation,” Modi said in an interview to news agency ANI. “He gave it even in writing. No question of political pressure. He did a good job as RBI governor.”
Patel’s sudden resignation in December came at a time when the RBI and the Finance Ministry were at loggerheads over numerous issues ranging from relaxing capital norms for banks to transferring of more of the central bank’s reserves to the government.
Modi also tried to quell concerns raised by opposition parties about the government wanting to stamp down the autonomy of institutions like the Supreme Court and the Central Bureau of Investigation. He criticised the Congress saying they had "no respect" for any institutional autonomy.
“Congress has no right to say this. They created the NSC to check on the Prime Minister and his office. Is this how you give importance to the Prime Minister's powers?,” Modi quipped. “In the judiciary, where judges are appointed based on seniority, they said openly that we will appoint them based on ideology. And you removed the senior judges and appointed junior judges. These are the people who talk about institutions?”
Even in the CBI case where the director and his deputy have levelled graft allegations against each other, Modi said the government sent the two "lawfully" on leave to protect the institution's integrity.
Here are the other highlights from Modi's interview.
On Demonetisation
This wasn’t a jhatka. We had warned people a year before, that if you have such wealth (black money), you can deposit it, pay penalties and you will be helped out. However, they thought Modi too would behave like others so very few came forward voluntarilyNarendra Modi, Prime Minister
Elections 2019
It is going to be ‘Janta’ versus ‘gathbandhan’. Modi is just a manifestation of public love and blessings.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
On Congress
It is a fact that those considered first family, who ran the country for four generations, are out on bail, that too for financial irregularities. It is a big thing. A set of people, who are at their service, are trying to suppress such information and push other narratives.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
On Ram Temple
We have said in our BJP manifesto that a solution would be found to this issue under the ambit of the Constitution. Let the judicial process be over. After the judicial process is over, whatever will be our responsibility as the government, we are ready to make all effortsNarendra Modi, Prime Minister
On Surgical Strikes
I knew it was a big risk. I never care about any political risk to me.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
Watch the full interview with Modi here: