New Delhi: Highlighting how Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood the importance of technology for India’s future development much earlier than others, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recalled Modi introducing email culture in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chouhan made this revelation Tuesday in New Delhi during the launch of his book ‘Apnapan: My Experiences With Narendra Modi’. The book was formally launched by former Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda.
The book is a detailed account of Chouhan’s personal memories and professional journey alongside PM Modi over nearly three decades.
Chouhan, while recalling a meeting organised in Madhya Pradesh to prepare for the elections, said PM Modi, during that meeting, enquired who all had an email ID.
“As workers of the BJP, we have traditionally worked in a conventional manner. Many times, we did not really have the mindset to use technology extensively. Even when mobile phones first arrived, people used to think that anyone using one belonged to a ‘five-star culture.’ I remember it very clearly. Senior leaders like Narendra Modi had come as the party in-charge. I was then the General Secretary of the state unit. A meeting was held regarding election preparations. Narendra Bhai asked, ‘Tell me, who among you has an email ID?’ At that time, hardly anyone had anything to do with email IDs,” Chouhan recalled.
The agriculture minister further said that soon after Modi asked this question people started looking at each other’s faces in silence. “Then the late Babulal Gaur, who later became Chief Minister, jokingly said, ‘Narendra Bhai, what is this ‘female-female’ you are talking about? What will happen with this female-email?’ Everyone laughed, and some people even had sarcastic expressions on their faces. But Narendra Bhai kept emphasising the importance of email and technology. He understood much earlier than others that if India’s future had to be shaped and if a developed India was to be built, then technology would play a crucial role,” he added.
Chouhan said this shows how PM Modi knew the impact technology would have in the future and how technology was essential to shaping India’s future and building a developed India.
The book launch was attended by several Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, and BJP politicians.
Chouhan also highlighted how Modi played a crucial role in the Ekta yatra to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
“Terrorism was at its peak. No one could have imagined hoisting the tricolour in the Kashmir Valley, at Lal Chowk in Kashmir. Dr Joshi was the president of the BJP. The BJP decided that the Ekta Yatra would be led by him, and the tricolour would be hoisted at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. And Narendra Modi ji was assigned the responsibility. When I first met Narendra Bhai. In that first meeting, I saw his ideas: to reach the masses, to unite people, and to instill a sense of patriotism. He said that the tricolour will not be hoisted only at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The tricolour should fly in the hearts of every citizen of the country,” he added.
Highlighting how Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood the importance of technology for India’s future development much earlier than others, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recalled Modi introducing email culture in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chouhan made this revelation Tuesday in New Delhi during the launch of his book ‘Apnapan: My Experiences With Narendra Modi’. The book was formally launched by former Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda.
Chouhan, while recalling a meeting organised in Madhya Pradesh to prepare for the elections, said PM Modi, during that meeting, enquired who all had an email ID.
“As workers of the BJP, we have traditionally worked in a conventional manner. Many times, we did not really have the mindset to use technology extensively. Even when mobile phones first arrived, people used to think that anyone using one belonged to a ‘five-star culture.’ I remember it very clearly. Senior leaders like Narendra Modi had come as the party in-charge. I was then the General Secretary of the state unit. A meeting was held regarding election preparations. Narendra Bhai asked, ‘Tell me, who among you has an email ID?’ At that time, hardly anyone had anything to do with email IDs,” Chouhan recalled.
The agriculture minister further said that soon after Modi asked this question people started looking at each other’s faces in silence. “Then the late Babulal Gaur, who later became Chief Minister, jokingly said, ‘Narendra Bhai, what is this ‘female-female’ you are talking about? What will happen with this female-email?’ Everyone laughed, and some people even had sarcastic expressions on their faces. But Narendra Bhai kept emphasising the importance of email and technology. He understood much earlier than others that if India’s future had to be shaped and if a developed India was to be built, then technology would play a crucial role,” he added.
Chouhan said this shows how PM Modi knew the impact technology would have in the future and how technology was essential to shaping India’s future and building a developed India.
The book launch was attended by several Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, and BJP politicians.
Chouhan also highlighted how Modi played a crucial role in the Ekta yatra to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
“Terrorism was at its peak. No one could have imagined hoisting the tricolour in the Kashmir Valley, at Lal Chowk in Kashmir. Dr Joshi was the president of the BJP. The BJP decided that the Ekta Yatra would be led by him, and the tricolour would be hoisted at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. And Narendra Modi ji was assigned the responsibility. When I first met Narendra Bhai. In that first meeting, I saw his ideas: to reach the masses, to unite people, and to instill a sense of patriotism. He said that the tricolour will not be hoisted only at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The tricolour should fly in the hearts of every citizen of the country,” he added.
(Edited by Vidhi Bhutra)
