Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits out at ‘professional pessimists’

New Delhi/Varanasi: Calling the critics of the Centre’s target of achieving a $5-trillion economy as “professional pessimists”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that “New India” is on the threshold of sprinting forward.

Addressing a gathering in Varanasi, a day after presentation of the Union budget, Mr Modi said, “I am confident that as a nation, with our collective efforts, in the next five years we will definitely reach the destination of “$5-trillion economy. But, some people are questioning the need for this (goal) and asking why all these are being done. These are people we can call pesheywar nirashawadi (professional pessimists).”

“These professional pessimists are totally different from common people. If you approach a common man with a problem, he will offer you a solution. But if you go to these people with a solution, they will convert it into a problem,” he said.

Highlighting the need for collective will power to achieve the goal, he said, “It is important to know about the $5-trillion economy because some people are casting doubts over the competence of Indians, saying achieving the target is very difficult.