Powering Bharat summit | 'My stomach is full, no ambition to be Bihar CM': Full text of Chirag Paswan's interview

Shweta Punj: When he speaks, whenever he's giving a speech, lakhs of people turn up to listen to him, but he says that he does not write his speeches down, he speaks from his heart. And that's, I think that is what Chirag Paswan is about, a Gen Z leader, but with the heart of an old school politician. Well, please welcome once again, Chirag Paswan, the Food Processing Minister in Delhi, and someone who has big ambitions for Bihar. Chirag, when your ministry was announced, there was a lot of discussion in our newsroom. Everybody wanted to track food processing, overnight that ministry became the most sought after ministry. We want to track this ministry. But now we hear that you want to go back from Delhi, you're done with Delhi, you want to go back to Bihar.

Chirag Paswan: Well, I do know and understand that one statement of mine where I said this -- that I want to go back to Bihar, Bihar is calling me, I don’t feel at home in Delhi. So I know that statement being interpreted in all the possible manners, right from politically to personally to every way. That has been interpreted in different ways. But my reason of saying it was because the reason I entered politics has always been Bihar and the people of Bihar. Why I entered politics, I've been born and brought up in Delhi, I've lived in Mumbai, I've worked in Mumbai, and that was the time when I experienced from very close quarters where I saw Biharis being targeted, being humiliated, that was the time when I realized that why Bihari needs to leave their state and you know, to go across the country. I see people going to live in different states, even in different countries — so why can't we retain them in our own state? Is there some shortcoming here, or is it that we need to build certain systems and infrastructure so that this migration, this exodus, can be stopped?

It was with this mindset that I entered politics, and over the years — this being my third term as a Member of Parliament — I’ve realized that I can’t do this while sitting in Delhi. If I truly want to do something for Bihar and the people of Bihar, then I need to return to my state. If I want to stop this migration, this exodus, then I must create the necessary systems and infrastructure while living in Bihar itself. And now, I don't just want to stop migration—I want to bring about reverse migration. I want to build a Bihar where those who once left the state feel encouraged to return. I am working with the vision of “Bihar First, Bihari First.”

Shweta Punj: So then the question becomes: Will Chirag Paswan be the next Chief Minister?

Chirag Paswan: All my thought processes, all my efforts, all the work I’ve done to build systems, all the ideas I’ve put forth — get dismissed and boiled down to just one thing: that I supposedly have an ambition to become Chief Minister. But I’ll be honest — I have no such ambition.

I come from a family where I’ve seen it all. My stomach is already full — I don’t need anything more, I have no greed left that I want this or that. I come from a family where my leader, my father, the respected Ram Vilas Paswan ji, served as a Union Minister and worked with as many as six Prime Ministers. In my childhood, this almost became a kind of taunt for me — when I used to go to school or college, people would say, “Oh, the minister’s son has arrived, the minister’s son has arrived.” So I’ve seen all of this from the very beginning. And if I had a desire for power, I wouldn’t have contested the 2020 election alone.

Any political person who understands the political circumstances knows very well that if I had contested the 2020 election as part of the then-existing NDA alliance, I would have become a Union Minister in 2020 itself, and I would’ve had 3–4 ministers from my party in Bihar as well, given the situation at that time. But even then, I chose to stand by my principles and my vision of “Bihar First, Bihari First,” and decided to separate from the alliance. So in such a scenario, the idea that I have any ambition to become Chief Minister or to secure any position is simply not true. In the current situation, there isn’t even a vacancy. We already have a chief minister in place, we already have a chief minister.

Shweta Punj: But we have elections coming in November and Bihar could do with some youthful energy, something that you represent, something that a lot of your competitors also represent. You have Mr. Prashant Kishore, you have Mr. Kanhaiya Kumar. So there are a lot of youth leaders coming out of Bihar, promising a change in Bihar. So, in that case, you won’t stake your claim saying, “You have to give me…”?

Chirag Paswan: Of course, I mean, and this is good, you know, there is a very soft generational swift in my state, which is really nice. I mean, we have always spoken and talked about the era of, you know, where my father was there, Respected Lalu ji was there, Nitish Kumar ji was there, Sushil Kumar Modi ji was there. So that was also an era which was very dominant in Bihar politics for the longest time. But gradually we are seeing a generational change, we are seeing a generational shift taking place in my state.

And I find this as the beauty of democracy where you have so many options to select from. You have a lot of young faces with young visions, with young ideas, with young ideology. And everybody is focusing to bring that change in Bihar. So I think the people of my state are very lucky to select from all of us with whomsoever that they believe in.

Shweta Punj: Your father, Ram Vilas Paswan ji, was a legendary leader. But he was always in the back, in the centre, but he always supported the CM in the state. But he did not come to the CM's post. Your party has asked that he be given Bharat Ratna. So tell us a little bit about that. And I would like to say that as you are saying now that you do not want to become the CM, then you are following your father's footsteps once again.

Chirag Paswan: See, first of all, you mentioned Bharat Ratna — I am his son, so naturally, I have the desire that my father be honoured with the highest civilian award of the country. But putting personal feelings aside, my party has also formally demanded this recognition. The reason is that for over 50 years, he played an active role in national politics. As I mentioned, he worked with six Prime Ministers. That is why he was also called a weather scientist. But if you can understand the political nerves of India's politics, then this is also a great achievement in itself. He worked as a cabinet minister in the government of VP Singh, in the government of Deve Gowda, in the government of IK Gujral, in the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in the government of Manmohan Singh, in the government of Narendra Modi, and in the cabinet of the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He worked as a cabinet minister. His name was mentioned twice in the Guinness Book of World Records for winning by the highest margin. This was a great achievement in itself.

And after that, the way he played an important role in every government on social justice. In today's date, people may not even have understood the importance of this. But today, when Congress and all these leaders wave the constitution and take the name of Babasaheb, yesterday also Rahul Ji had gone to my state and there he was chanting the slogans of Jai Bhim, remembering the thoughts of Babasaheb. In such a situation, the question also arises from them that the person you are talking about is the creator of our constitution, but not a single picture of him was there in the Indian Parliament till 1989. Till 1989, not a single picture of him was there in the Indian Parliament, whereas the picture of three leaders of the same family was there in the Central Hall of India. In such a situation, when people talk about Babasaheb, they should remember that the first picture of Babasaheb was there in the Indian Parliament when my respected father Ram Vilas Paswan Ji, who was the Minister of Labour and Welfare in the government of V.P. Singh, was appointed.

At that time, Babasaheb was given Bharat Ratna. So, the people who do politics with all these things today, I just want to tell them that my father is there, I will definitely keep his contribution, but he is my leader and he has done all these things for the country, who have worked to strengthen the social justice system. That is why we ask for Bharat Ratna.

But your first question was that if I don't go to Bihar, then the reason would be that my father was also there. I will go to Bihar, but I will never go to Bihar for the greed of any position. I will go to Bihar to create the system of how to bring down the ideology of Bihar First and Bihari First.

Shweta Punj: Bihar is such a state which wanted to go for Nalanda University. Our first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad ji is from Bihar. So, from there, now when it comes to Bihar, now there is talk of corruption, now there is talk of bad roads, now there is talk that it is very difficult to work in Bihar, industrialization is very poor. So, what is your vision for Bihar? And how have you brought the change that Nitish Kumar ji, all the Chief Ministers who have been there before you, have brought? But the degree at which the change should have been made, the scale at which the change should have been made, that has not been able to come. So, what change will you bring, what is your vision for Bihar?

Chirag Paswan: Bihar has had a glorious history, and I feel so proud when I say this, that Bihar has been such a land, which has been flourishing in many ways, in different areas, regarding the arrangement and construction. You mentioned Nalanda University. In the field of education, my region was recognized when, forget the country, no one in the world understood the importance of education. People from other countries used to come to Nalanda to get education. In such a situation, when the decline of Bihar, the mention of the education system, I feel bad.

Bihar has been a land of great men. A land of great men who have faith, my mother Sita's land, the land of Gautam Buddha, the land of Bhagwan Mahavir, the land of Guru Govind Singh ji, the land of Chanakya, the land of Aryabhata, the land of the first President of the country. In such a situation, despite having so many possibilities, what was the reason that today the count of my region, at the level of development, it is done at many low levels. In such a situation, we need to remember that decade when the most migration happened in my state, when there was the government of respected Lalu ji, which was known as Jungle Raj. At that time, a society was made where no one wanted to live in Bihar. And this arrangement, unfortunately, is still going on.

Even today, if I am wrong, but even today, any capable family in Bihar, as soon as it becomes a little capable, first of all, sends their son or daughter out of Bihar to study. That child or daughter goes out of Bihar, gets education there, gets a job there, buys a house there, gets married there, gives birth to children there, and then becomes the head of that state and is called a refugee in his state. This arrangement, which has deteriorated since the 90s, we have not been able to manage it in that way yet.

I will definitely give this credit to the current Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar ji, that to a large extent, there has been improvement in it, there has been a change in it, a lot of work has been done by him, but still a lot of work remains to be done. I want to go to Bihar with the thought of fulfilling this responsibility.

Shweta Punj: Mr. Chirag, you said that Bihari first, Bihar first, and you want to do a lot of development in Bihar. When the name of Bimaru State is taken, B comes first, which is for Bihar. Uttar Pradesh comes last, which is for U. A lot of work is being done in that state. If you see any Chief Minister, who you consider to be your role model, is there any CM who comes to your mind, that if you think, based on what he has done in his state, I will do the same work in my state?

Chirag Paswan: Of course, the one you mentioned is the state next to me, and many times the name of UP-Bihar is taken in one breath. And it was done with the help of the system, but not in recent years. Because somewhere or the other, Uttar Pradesh has taken the path of development, and has given itself a rapid pace, and its identity is slowly becoming a part of a developed state, and I think with great clarity, with utmost clarity, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he has taken his state forward, he has done the work, so I would definitely like to, but along with that, it is important for us to understand one more small thing, which is often mentioned by my Prime Minister, the government of double-engine. People do not understand, why is the government of double-engine necessary? This is the most beautiful example of Uttar Pradesh, and my Bihar is also as beautiful as it is, because for the longest time, Bihar has been a government of opposition.

When there was a government of UPA in the centre, then there was a government of NDA in Bihar, when there was a government of NDA in the centre, then there was a government of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. For the longest time, on a stretch of 27 long years, we had different governments at the state level, and at the central level. What happens with this, is that the schemes of the central government, are not implemented in the state, the schemes of the state government, are not accepted by the central government, because of the political opposition.

Because of this, my state has suffered a lot. After a long time, today my state has a government of double-engine, the central government is led by my Prime Minister, and our Chief Minister is in Bihar. I want, and I believe, that even after the election results of this Legislative Assembly, this system will remain the same, and after that, in the coming five years, I see this as a golden era for Bihar. I think that in the next five years, Bihar will move forward in the work of development.

Shweta Punj: So you take inspirations from Yogi Ji?

Chirag Paswan: Definitely, I do believe, he has got utmost clarity in his work and vision.

Shweta Punj: From an electoral point of view we have elections coming in November. Bihar’s elections have always been fought largely on caste issues. Is that still an omni-present issue in Bihar or do you think things have changed. What will be the issues in this election?

Chirag Paswan: Is that an issue? Sadly, yes. This is an irony.

Shweta Punj: And you are against caste-based politics?

Chirag Paswan: I am totally against of it, and it really hurts me. When I was new to politics, as I mentioned, I was raised in Delhi and worked in Mumbai. And in the family I come from, there was never any discussion about caste arrangements. We were never taught, shown, or made to understand any kind of discrimination. This was simply never a topic of the conversation in our household or family. For me, when I became involved in politics, and when I started going to Bihar from a political point of view, I was very surprised that the people who used to meet me, Bhoomiars, Rajputs, Brahmins, Pichra, Ati Pichra, Dalits, Mahadalits, Muslims, but no Biharis.

I used to have a problem that we have been divided into so many castes, and I am telling you the above classification, the lower classification is more, that there are so many more castes. I did not understand this system. And for me, it has always been a cause of concern that because we are not united in our state, that is why, today, because of this divided situation, the system that should have been created, we were not able to do it.

The people who leave Bihar, they definitely do not think about this. When I travel internationally, and I interact with Bihari diaspora, and then I ask them that, do you get benefited that you come from an upper caste, or do you get neglected because you come from a backward caste? They say, no, there is no meaning to this here. So I said, you all have an equal playground here, right? And you work as hard as you can.

This thought we have to bring to Bihar, which sadly, is not there now, but my hope is present, from the next generation, from the coming generations. And that is why, I put so much emphasis on education. I myself am an educated youth of the 21th century. I want and I believe that till the time our state is not educated, till the time there is a lack of education, there are many such political parties and such politicians. I myself come from a political party, but I have no hesitation in accepting this fact that many political leaders and political parties have played an important role in distributing our society, in distributing it among castes, in distributing it on the basis of community. Whatever is wrong, we have to fight it together, in which I feel, my generation will support me, and the next generation will support me.

Shweta Punj: But you've spoken in favour of the caste census, which critics say will only aggravate that divide, which the data that government can use to do very targeted interventions. So how do you justify that, Chirag?

Chirag Paswan: So how do I justify that? Because I know when I say these two things in the same line, so I might sound contradicting myself. But let me clarify this, that why do I want to have a caste-based census? Because, as I said, that's sad, but that is the reality. It is sad, but it is the reality of our society that even today, we are divided into castes, and on the basis of caste, we see examples of discrimination. The number is less and more debatable, but it creates an environment of discrimination in society. As an example, even today, a Dalit young man is stopped from riding a horse, why? Because he is a Dalit. Even today, we see such examples, which are heard on public stages as well. An officer, a police officer, takes out his wedding procession, he needs protection, why? Because he is a backward society. Even today, a Dalit family is stopped from entering a temple. Even today, such mentality, less and more, again debatable, but it exists in our society, which discriminates you on the basis of caste.

That is why, many times, central government, state government, create such schemes for the upliftment of that particular caste, and to integrate them with the mainstream. In such a case, I believe that when the central government creates such schemes, then they also need the population of that caste, so that according to that, that scheme can be expanded. On the basis of that scheme, a funds can be distributed, so that the caste can be integrated with the mainstream. In such a case, these figures need to be with the government, which are not there many times. Many times, on many issues, even the Human Rights Court asked for the population of a particular caste, which we do not have.

And in the longest time, this has not happened. Last time it happened was almost 100 years back, in 1931. So that is why, why I advocate that this should happen. The reason behind this is that when we get this information, only then we will be able to integrate them. We will be able to get the right representation in every sector.

Shweta Punj: Alright. When we speak about caste-based reservations also, are you for affirmative action or are you against affirmative action?

Chirag Paswan: No, I do believe that there should be representation because for the longest time it has not happened and there are n number of castes. And you know, that is what creates a distress within them. Because when they don't see themselves getting represented at a political level, at a socio-economic platform, you know, when they don't see their representation is when they get distressed. And then they opt for various other platforms. Now, the problem of Naxalism for a long time, who were they? They were the same people who were suppressed. So in this way, they chose the wrong path. In the future, it does not happen, so it is not necessary that every society should have appropriate representation in every system of the society. With this thought, I want that this system of reservation should be strengthened.

Shweta Punj: Let's come back from Bihar to Delhi. Let's talk about food processing. Now, we are undergoing very intense negotiations with the United States. about bilateral trade agreements. In agriculture and the food industry, America wants to reduce our tariffs so that they can sell their products here. What will be the implications of this? And would you like India to reduce its tariffs in these areas?

Chirag Paswan: Well, this is a very strong political narrative. I mean, that's a political, that's a policy topic. So I'll reserve my comments particularly on this topic. But then, yes, between the two countries, the way the tariffs talk between the United States and India and the United States and many other countries have begun which we need to handle it in a very diplomatic way. It's an extremely sensitive topic. So I would reserve my comments publicly about this. But, being the Minister for Food Processing Industries, I can definitely say this much — that as of today, India has the capability that we no longer need to look towards other countries for most matters. We have that potential and we are so capable that not only can we take our country but many other countries as well.

The ministry which I am representing will eventually present India as a global food basket. And when I say this, I say this with utmost responsibility because we have that potential that not only can we cater our country's hunger needs but we help many other countries where hunger is a big issue. In such a scenario, we can achieve strong global penetration as a soft power through processed food. We and our ministry are working towards that. When I had the responsibility of this ministry, it was not just about taking responsibility for this department, but if we look from 2014 till now, our exports have almost doubled. We have also started our penetration into several other countries where we previously had no presence.

There is a PLI scheme under my ministry where we provide incentives to major leaders of our country who are leading the industry and enhancing the global identity of Indian products. I believe that every Indian feels proud when they go abroad, walk into a supermarket, and see Indian brands on the shelves. Gradually, we are working to strengthen this further.

I can say this very honestly—we haven't even scratched the surface of our potential in the food processing sector. I would want to use this platform to mention this also that there is a negative publicity of food processing in India. There is often negative publicity and propaganda that claims processing food reduces its quality. On the contrary, when we talk about food processing, we are talking about value addition. But the moment we say "processing," it gets equated with being bad. That’s not right. We are adding value to it.

Shweta Punj: But Chirag, I'd like to add here that in terms of rules and regulations in our country, they are a bit lax. So a lot of things are misadvertised. Some products will claim that they don’t contain maida (refined flour) or that they have less sugar — but in reality, they do. So enforcement of regulations is one, is another concern. Is that something that your ministry is looking into seriously?

Chirag Paswan: Absolutely. It's one of the biggest concerns for me and my ministry and we have a regulatory body called FSSAI, that which drafts regulations by considering various individual food ingredients. And I'm very happy to share this, that gradually we are levelling ourselves up to a stage where our standards are also equivalent to global standards. Efforts are also being made to ensure strong implementation of these standards at the grassroots level by establishing a robust regulatory ecosystem — because, from time to time, such reports or information do come to light.

Shweta Punj: Recently, there was a case involving a global company and a very popular snack it produced.

Chirag Paswan: Those who did not follow the regulations — strict provisions are already in place for them, and now those provisions are being made even stricter, so that such mistakes don't happen even by accident — that is non-negotiable. You cannot play with someone’s health.

Shweta Punj: Do you say these things to companies? Because you deal with major FMCG businesses.

Chirag Paswan: Yes, absolutely — and I continuously engage in dialogue with the industry. I want to be that bridge. See, at the same time, I want the industry to grow. If the industry grows, we will grow too. But at the same time the industry also needs to understand that you cannot grow in India by taking shortcuts or following wrong practices. India today is being led by a Prime Minister who is very clear in his stance — “Na khaunga, na khaane dunga” (I will not take bribes, nor will I allow others to). In this context, any form of adulteration is completely unacceptable. That's why we’re not only tightening regulations but also strengthening the penalties — to such an extent that even a minor mistake could completely destroy a brand. That’s how far we are prepared to go.

Shweta Punj: What kind of penalties and punishment are we looking at?

Chirag Paswan: Of course yes, and I am not talking only about the penalties, because penalties…

Shweta Punj: Jail time also?

Chirag Paswan: Yes, of course. To the extent that, if needed, we can completely erase your brand name. As I said, I will not take this matter lightly — that you play with someone’s health just for a few extra benefits or out of negligence.

I am considering both possibilities. It's not always just about financial intent — sometimes people act out of negligence, which is equally wrong. We need to be strict about that too, because even a small lapse on your part It can affect the health, even the life, of the person consuming it. And this is a huge responsibility — when you offer someone food. Serving food is not a small task; it carries great responsibility. That’s exactly why we value food cooked by a mother so much — because we know it’s the safest. It comes with the utmost care and trust. Companies today hold that same role. And they must recognize the seriousness and responsibility that comes with it.

Shweta Punj: So are we taking inspiration from any country for our food regulations? Is the EU a country that we have…?

Chirag Paswan: So we are developing our own standards because there are lot of products and India is so blessed because of the geographic placement of our country. We have end number of varieties when it comes to food. We have hilly terrains, so we have water bodies. We have variety, and that is also our beauty. Because we have such a diverse landscape, we have different kinds of produce. So, possibly there are certain things in processing that other countries may not even be aware of. In fact, we are becoming leaders when it comes to those regulations. And as for food processing, we have been connected to it for centuries. This has been a part of our household traditions. I’ve seen my grandmother and great-grandmother making papad, pickles, and setting curd at home. It’s a different matter that now we just get these things delivered or order them online. But all of us have experienced that self-sufficiency. Our generation definitely has — I can’t say the same for the next one. But our generation certainly has that connection; we knew what that self-sufficiency was. Back when there was no online shopping, we all had common reference points. But this generation — they have endless options, especially when it comes to food. So we’ve been connected to food processing right from the beginning. So we are in a way leaders in processing.

Shweta Punj: Okay, let's talk about GST, especially there is a lot of confusion regarding processed food. Popcorn — if you buy loose popcorn, the tax is lower. But if you eat it in a movie theatre, it’s much higher. This kind of confusion, Chirag ji... Will you conclude this before returning to Bihar? Or is this confusion going to remain?

Chirag Paswan: I would really like to conclude this topic. Because this issue often raises concerns in the industry as well, I do understand the sentiments of the industry too. But when I raise these concerns on the appropriate platform, I also understand the limitations there—because I am part of the government. I understand both sides—industry and policy. I see myself as a bridge between the government and industry. But because of building that bridge, I also understand the difficulties at this end—so I understand the challenges on that side as well. I am just trying to figure out a middle way, where policymakers and industry sit together, where they do not have any problem and neither do they have any problem here.

At the end of the day, when you talk about GST, then GST council is the final authority to take these decisions. But at times, the changes that I think are right, I definitely put them in front of GST council, after meeting with the minister, I also work to give these issues to them. Many such changes have been made, decisions have been taken, there are many such changes that the industry desperately wants to take, talks are on and I just hope, mutually beneficial for both the government and industry, we will be able to take such decisions in the future.

Shweta Punj: Is the council listening to you? Are you backing for a single rate on popcorn?

Chirag Paswan: As I said, where they can do it, they definitely do it. But now there are many such issues that are being discussed. One step at a time, efforts are being made to move forward from both sides. I believe that many things get better with time. As our economy is getting stronger, and as we believe in the next four years that India will move from the 5th to the 3rd strongest economy, I think there are many such relaxations that we will be able to give to the industry in the coming days.

Shweta Punj: Chirag, you are quite young, all of 42, but you have seen so much of life. Everybody knows your age.

Chirag Paswan: No, no, I don't know.

Shweta Punj: You are a public figure.

Chirag Paswan: Like this is a new young, 42, I mean.

Shweta Punj: That is the irony of it. 42 is the new young in politics. So, but at a very young age, you have seen so much of life up close. You have seen your loved ones leave you. You were talking to me about you being thrown out of your home where you grew up. After seeing so much, to collect yourself once again, to fight elections, to build another brand new party, pretty much all by yourself, how did you do it? What are the lessons that you have learnt?

Chirag Paswan: Oh, a lot of lessons, and I can't be, I don't think I can be more blessed to go through the hardship. Because when life teaches you, there is nothing better than that. And sooner the better that you go through all this. After losing my father, one after the other, there were like hailstorms in my life. And it was like a roller coaster life. You know, every day was a different day. And there was a disaster coming my way almost every regular interval. After losing my father, I lost my party, I was thrown out of my family.

Shweta Punj: You lost everything. Family, party, everything.

Chirag Paswan: Everything. I had nothing. To an extent, I didn't know where to go. The day my stuff was thrown on the street, the house where I had been living for 34 years, and I don't want to sound emotional and I don't want to make it dramatic, but it happens. I mean, apart from that house, I don't have any memories. What memories would a 7-year-old have before that? Nobody has any. So all my memories are of that house. I didn't even get a moment to stand and register that house finally. I was thrown out.

Anyways, you can take all these things, all these situations in two ways. Either be a cry-baby and sit and cry, that what did I do to anyone and why did this happen to me? Or be a fighter. And you face those situations bravely and get yourself back, bounce back. I chose the second option. I never let these situations make me weak, but kept my weak memories together to make me strong. And I kept fighting and struggling with each and every situation. I am religious, I believe in worship. I think that thing gave me a lot of hope. I meditate a lot. I meditate a lot. Meditation gave me a lot of hope that it never let me get depressed in adverse situations, never let me break.

At the same time, today when the situation is better, I am the minister in the centre, we are going towards the Bihar elections. I hope for a better demonstration. My mind doesn't get disturbed. It's not that I got everything, so my mind got disturbed.

Shweta Punj: How many seats are you hoping for?

Chirag Paswan: I have good hopes, I manifest, I have faith in my manifestation. See the result. Not only will I get good seats to fight, but I will also win. There was a 100% strike rate in Lok Sabha. I will also give a good strike rate in Bihar.

Shweta Punj: Will you give us a number?

Chirag Paswan: Of course.

Shweta Punj: How many seats are there?

Chirag Paswan: I would break the dignity of the alliance if I disclose any numbers on a public platform before any discussions within the alliance. I will keep that dignity. As soon as this discussion happens inside the alliance, first of all, I will share it here.

Shweta Punj: You said that you meditate, you show your faith very unabashedly. But you don't colour your faith with your politics. But the party you are an alliance partner with, their politics are a little different. Recently, a politician from Madhya Pradesh gave a statement on Sofiya Qureshi. He said something about her. How do you feel about that? How do you strike that balance? Because that is not your politics.

Chirag Paswan: That is not.

Shweta Punj: That is not your politics. So what do you feel about such situations?

Chirag Paswan: I have been very open and upfront. You asked me a question today. I will say it openly that it is a shameful statement. This statement should not be more condemnatory. No statement can be made. If they were members of my party, I would have thrown them out of my party for life. But they are not my party. I can only keep my words inside the alliance. When Hindu-Muslims are made by the allies of alliance, I have expressed my objection to it openly. But then I have faith in my Prime Minister. He talks about everyone's support, everyone's development, everyone's faith. As long as the head of the government, as long as he does not say such things, the 140 crore people of the country have faith that injustice will not be done to anyone. There are such unsocial elements everywhere. They are in every organization. There are such people in families too, who keep their words against the thoughts of the family. There are such people everywhere. In such a situation, they should be given a strong message. As I said, if they were members of my party, I would have thrown them out of my party for life. I have a limit in alliance. I cannot go beyond a limit and say things. But no statement can be more shameful than this.

Shweta Punj: Can we get a big round of applause, please, on that? Chirag, many people describe you in a very different way, you are also called Modi ji's Hanuman. Why is this said? When did you bail out Modi ji?

Chirag Paswan: This happened during the 2020 Vidhan Sabha elections. For some reason, I fought the elections apart from NDA. But even apart from NDA, there is a local political party in Bihar, against which I took a stand. I did not take a stand against BJP, because my dedication to my Prime Minister is more than the limit. I love my Prime Minister very much. As long as my Prime Minister is alive, I cannot think of anything against him. So, it was very clear to me that even though I will fight the elections apart from alliance, I will not stand my candidates against my Prime Minister's party.

At that time, I took a stand on 137 seats, out of 243 seats, in which I did not take a stand on BJP's seats. At that time, because it seemed that I was supporting BJP, and that is why I did not take a stand, so I have been criticized many times, and it was said that I would not use the picture of the Prime Minister. I had such a political intellect, that I would not use the picture of the Prime Minister, when there is no official alliance. But I was told so many times, that in one of the live interviews, someone said that the opposition is saying that you cannot use the picture of the Prime Minister. At that time, I said that I do not need it at all. Those who need it, can use the picture of my Prime Minister on the hoarding. My Prime Minister resides in my heart. If they want, I will tear my heart apart and show it. His place is in my heart. That is why I do not need to use the picture of the Prime Minister on the hoarding. That is how it started. The next day, in one of the leading newspapers, on the front page, I see that I have a caricature, a cartoon, in which I am depicted as Hanuman, and inside there is a picture of the Prime Minister. That is how it started. But I like this. I have no issues. There is nothing more beautiful than this for me.

Shweta Punj: There was an image that went viral of the Prime Minister patting you with a lot of love and affection, so what was that moment there. I think that happened at a rally in Bihar.

Chirag Paswan: That happened in that rally in Bihar when he came this time to Bihar for election. But for me, the most beautiful moment was when I officially rejoined the NDA alliance. It was in July, just before the Lok Sabha elections, when the NDA formed an alliance of 38 parties, and that meeting was being led by Prime Minister. And in that meeting, after a long time, I was officially present as a collaborator of the NDA; at that time, I was the sole MP of my party. At that time, after a long time, I met the Prime Minister face to face. The way he held my hand, hugged me, and placed my head on his shoulder and patted my back, that was a very beautiful moment for me. The moment you are talking about, he came to my campaign in Hajipur. Not only did he pat my back, but he also, I would like you all to listen to it on YouTube, what he said about me for five minutes, at that time, I realized that I am the Prime Minister of the country, and I tell all my MPs, please be more active and present, and well-read, when you come to the Parliament.

As the Prime Minister mentioned, from 2014 to 2019, I had 100% attendance in the Parliament. I didn't miss even a single day, and maximum hours. Even though I didn't participate in the debate, but I used to listen. I believe that you need to be a good learner, to be a good leader. The more you listen, the more you will understand. I still sit alone, listening to my father's old interviews, Atal ji's old interviews, Sushma ji's speech in Lok Sabha. I used to sit in the Parliament. Think about it, the Prime Minister of the country noticed such a small thing, and he said it in a parliamentary meeting, which he mentioned in the Parliament. At that time, he said, look, you need to learn from Chirag, he comes with so much preparation. And he said it with so much love, he got carried away in his emotions, and in the parliament, he said to me, he realised, he said, sorry, I am talking to him with a little bit of enthusiasm, but I have always seen him as my son, that's why I am saying this. So his words, nothing can be more beautiful, more important than this for me. That's why I dedicate my whole life to him.

Shweta Punj: So you will stay in the alliance?

Chirag Paswan: I can't even think of getting separated from my Prime Minister by mistake.

Shweta Punj: My last question, where do you see yourself next year?

Chirag Paswan: Next year, I see myself in Bihar in a more active role. The position or the workplace that you are going into, I will definitely go to that workplace to meet the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to implement the plans of Bihar First, Bihari First. So we will be in this role next year.

Shweta Punj: So I think then, my colleagues who want to track your beat, need to rethink. Thank you so much.

Chirag Paswan: Thank you.

Shweta Punj: A big round of applause for Chirag Paswan. We wish you the very best.