Chandrababu Naidu interview: Hindi can be taught along with English and mother tongue

The Hindu

a day ago

N. Chandrababu Naidu has completed one year in his current term as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He spoke on a wide range of issues in an exclusive interview. Edited excerpts:
How do you see your first year of this term as CM?
Power is not new to me. But I had not expected the kind of challenges that I inherited — the damage that was inflicted on Brand Andhra Pradesh, collapse of the economy. And today, I cannot run away from these difficulties because people have put their trust in me. It's a huge responsibility, and we need to recover slowly.
Is public finance the biggest challenge?
No, it is not just public finance. The State's credibility was destroyed (by the previous government). There is massive debt. And they started pledging government properties for more borrowing. They diverted the money granted for 98 Central schemes, which came to a halt. Schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission were stopped. I have given six guarantees — Super Six —(schemes such as cooking gas refill, free bus ride for women, and so on) to the people. My agenda is welfare, development, empowerment of people.
In your first term, you were a darling of the market, and you had famously said, 'There is no free lunch.' How have your views changed over the years?
At one time, we thought economic reforms would create wealth, and people would get more facilities, but now with an experience of 34 years, we understand that market creates wealth but the government, through public policy, has to empower people. That is where expenditure in welfare comes in. Disparities between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' are increasing rapidly, which should to be bridged quickly. Otherwise, there will be huge backlash. This is why I am creating the P4 model — public, private, people partnership.
You have revived the Amaravati city project. How is the progress after one year?
The previous regime had worked against the wishes and interest of the State and people. Amaravati was a self-financing project. It would have created wealth and additional revenues for the State. But my successor halted the project, playing destructive politics. Now, I have revived it and many other projects.
So all these big projects need a lot of money and you do not have it...
These are all futuristic projects. We can go for new revenue models. Thirty years back nobody could visualise the kind of roads we have today. People are paying toll, and it is a win-win situation for everyone. Power, telecommunication, etc., are the rising sectors, and we can have different revenue models.
In Andhra Pradesh, the hostility between the ruling party and the Opposition is now extreme — prosecutions and investigations. Why?
For 50 years, I have been in politics. I have seen several Congress Chief Ministers until Rajasekhara Reddy, and our fights have been only political. Things changed when a criminal floated a regional party. I don't believe in victimisation. At the same time, if we let economic terrorists scot-free that would lead to a disaster, which Andhra Pradesh is going through right now. This is a different type of politics. You see, his uncle Vivekananda Reddy was murdered, they killed him... this leads to a dangerous trend. There can be no leniency... nobody can commit crimes under political cover-up, everyone has to respect the laws of the land.
You mentioned the Central schemes. The State government funds these projects in good measure, but they are projected as Central schemes. Do you find any problem in that?
No, this is a continuous process, and now we are part of NDA and are working together. We are a double-engine sarkar. They (the Centre) are providing grants, and we too bear some expenses. We are working and campaigning together. We did not have much differences regarding this even in 2014. There should be uniform policy to develop at a fast pace, but there should not be an over-centralisation of power, as it is harmful for the nation.
Regional parties are facing a crisis, aren't they? What future do you see for the Telugu Desam Party?
Post Independence, new parties have emerged and collapsed. It's a cycle, because ultimately, for any political party to survive, they have to maintain people's trust in them. And that's what TDP is doing. Through all the ups and downs we faced, including the separation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, and many other challenges, our foremost duty is to serve people efficiently.
You are confident that the TDP will be around for a long time?
Absolutely. You can go through history, and you will find that among all the regional parties, TDP is the only party that has played a positive and constructive role at the national level. Never have we disappointed the nation's trust or interest. Our fundamental principle has always been — first the nation, then the State, and then the party. We were once the main Opposition party in Lok Sabha. We were key constituents in the National Front and the United Front governments. We supported the NDA governments as a crucial partner, but we never created trouble or blackmailed them.
So you've been part of several political alliances in Delhi. Do you see any changes in the way coalition is run today?
No, it is a continuous process, and it mostly depends upon the leader. In West Bengal, Jyoti Basu ran a coalition government for 25 years with Left parties, without any hindrance. It is important to know how to lead as a leader — Vajpayeeji at one time, and UPA too have run coalition governments. Narendra Modiji is running a coalition without any problems. It is because of the credibility that we have established as one entity.
What difference do you see between Vajpayeeji and Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
Different leaders, different approaches. Today, it's a fortunate and inspiring time, I believe India and Indians will have a bright future in the coming years. The PM has a long-term vision, a good grasp of the economy, and capability to take people along. I am confident that India will grow under his leadership. Vajpayeeji had brought good reforms during his tenure, in which I had a part too. That helped the nation to move forward, but today we are moving to the next level. PM is doing justice and promoting development. In protection of the nation, there is no compromise. After the Pahalgam attack, how he acted promptly... through Operation Sindoor, which satisfied the nation and demonstrated his capability in responding, handling such things.
Moving on, do you see any danger of communalism in our society?
Some parties with vested interest try to create instability... Within country, and outside the country, which is to derail our progress. We have to work on these issues consciously. It's the only way for the nation to prosper. Everybody's free to offer prayers... but they should not quarrel and must respect each other to move forward.
Your plans for the new phase of industrialisation in Andhra Pradesh, and also a proposal for a defence corridor. Can you explain?
In defence, we are trying to develop our own indigenous capacity. Aerospace is a booming sector. We are working on drones and space industry too. I believe the high-tech industry is the future for defence and commercial applications. Andhra Pradesh has a lot of land available for setting up these facilities. Defence corridor is part of these plans.
In the run-up to Telugu Desam's Mahanadu conference recently, there was lot of anticipation that your son, Lokesh, would be assuming role that makes him your successor. It did not happen. Will it happen, and when will it happen?
It will happen in its due time. Public interest is the main factor. It is a continuous journey, and our party is full of youngsters.
There is a lot of concern among non-Hindi States, including Maharashtra, about the three-language policy. Do you have any such fears?
No, in this age of technology and artificial intelligence, according to me, language is not an issue at all. People are unnecessarily sticking to their old traditions. Hindi can be taught along with English and mother tongue. For example, people from Hyderabad have a better advantage in Delhi as they speak Hindi and Urdu than people from Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. Learning more languages help individuals communicate and get things done more easily. If youngsters are willing to learn they should be allowed to learn, just like one learns English to communicate and become a citizen at international level, without needing any translators. In the same way, learning Hindi will give you an advantage at national level. I want to introduce many languages as an option in universities, so that those who are interested can learn.