Faced political damage, but stayed quiet: PM Modi

Many people ask me what has been the biggest mistake we made in two years. When I think about it now, I feel, before presenting the first budget I should have tabled a white paper on the country's economic condition: Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he wanted to bring a White Paper on the economic condition of the country when his government came into power, but refrained from it in national interest.

In an interview to Network 18 aired on Friday, the Prime Minister said he chose to face political damage instead of damaging the economy by revealing the real situation, and alleged the figures were changed in the budget by the previous government.

"Many people ask me what has been the biggest mistake we made in two years. When I think about it now, I feel, before presenting the first budget I should have tabled a white paper on the economic condition of the country... We had this thought," he said.

Modi said: "Politics said you must reveal the situation, but national interest said if the situation was revealed, the economy will suffer, and face a setback."

"So despite facing political damage, I stayed quiet," he said, adding that figures were changed in the budget by the previous government.

"I did not present it to the nation, we suffered political loss, faced criticism... because I wanted to set things right," he added.