Kota, the Parliamentary seat of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, is the hub for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirants across India. But it is also called the students’ suicide capital of India where 26 coaching students committed suicide in 2023, the highest-ever. With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Birla said that he feels ‘pained’ and has promised to ‘try better’ to curb this deadly phenomenon.
Calling all students his ‘family members’, Birla has requested, “If there’s any tension, they should pause and think for 10 minutes. The future ahead is long.” Kota has been making headlines year after year for the same wrong reasons.
Meanwhile, in a candid chat with News18, the high-profile candidate honestly admitted what most candidates acknowledged but stopped short of saying in as clear terms — BJP candidates are less relevant because the electorate is voting in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone. “We all are fighting the election in Modi’s name,” was his unambiguous admission. He added that the only factor across India in this Lok Sabha election is ‘Modi’.
He also heavily criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s call for caste census calling the grand old party ‘divisive’ while alleging the party employs caste and religion as twin strategies to divide the people. He also called Congress leaders ‘egoistic’. Here are excerpts from his interview with News18 ahead of Lok Sabha polls:
Q: In the morning you were in Delhi as the Lok Sabha Speaker and in the evening, you are back in Kota as a BJP candidate. Has it been a long day?
Om Birla: Every day is a long day during elections. This is the time when you meet people, sit with them, listen to them and make your pitch.
Q: The day started at Parliament and then you went to Bundi for a rally and now in Kota. Was election in your mind while you were briefly in Parliament?
Om Birla: Everywhere in India, events were being organised on Ambedkar Jayanti. Baba Saheb’s long struggle and his role in making India’s Constitution is revered by all. Today, everywhere, he is being remembered (From Parliament to where I am in Kota right now).
Q: How has the response been in Kota so far? As an MP, you have been a winner since 2014. Are you aiming at a hat trick?
Om Birla: I have been winning in Kota since 2003 (first as MLA and then as MP) non-stop. People here have blessed me and showered their love. I have always respected the trust of the people. My endeavour has always been to keep getting their blessings and to stand by them — be it disaster or crisis — and help change the lives of the downtrodden at the government and societal level. In the last 10 years, every sector has seen transformation under Narendra Modi’s leadership — economic and societal. The poor of the poor are getting benefits of government schemes regardless of their caste or religion. There is a wide acceptance of PM Modi. In my political life, I have seen many political leaders. But the acceptance of PM Modi is different. Everyone is eager to make him the Prime Minister for the third time.
Q: The Sankalp Patra of BJP is called ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ across India. So what is ‘Om Birla’s guarantee’ for Kota?
Om Birla: Modi’s guarantee is now everyone’s guarantee. We all are fighting the election in Modi’s name. Modi Ji’s schemes are our schemes. But for the people of Kota, all fundamental issues — railways station, highway, and IIT, which were stuck at the Centre’s level, have been cleared. One of the key demands of Kota was an airport. Prime Minister said last time in a rally that it will pick pace when we come in the state. The Congress government didn’t pay dues for eight months which created a delay. But the moment the BJP government came to power, dues were cleared. As soon as the DPR is cleared, the airport construction will start.
Q: Every constituency has its own electoral issues. What do you think are the issues here in Kota?
Om Birla: Water connection is an issue here. People in this region have been facing troubles for the last 75 years. Now with ‘har ghar jal’, every house is connected to the water line. Under Central schemes, they have got housing, gas, toilets — all basic necessities are being taken care of. Last month, we made arrangements to provide water to even non-irrigated lands for irrigation. As far as the urban areas are concerned, there’s no specific issue that is unfulfilled. But I will bring more schemes according to their aspirations. Modi ji has said development in the last 10 years is just a trailer. Similarly, we will bring more development here and promote it as a tourism, education and medical hub.
Congress has no standing to make promises as it is not in government — state or centre. Congress only knows to divide, incite, spread fake news and make unparliamentary remarks. Congress speaks the language of ego. Ego doesn’t work in politics.
Q: When you talk about ego, who are you hinting at? Are you referring to Rahul Gandhi?
Om Birla: Ego can be of the candidate and their leaders alike. Congress always played divisive caste and religious politics. This is not an election of caste, this is an election of the nation.
Q: But Rahul Gandhi says we need a caste census. He has also said it aloud on his social media bio.
Om Birla: This is not an election where caste should play any role. This is a national election. This election should decide how you want to transform the nation and what schemes you want to bring in. This is not a state poll or municipality election. This election should be on who you want as your Prime Minister, and which party you want to rule.
Q: It’s very fine to say it’s a national election, but it is also Kota’s election. As an MP, how do you propose to stop rising student suicides in Kota?
Om Birla: These sons and daughters (who have come to Kota to study) are my family members. It is always my earnest effort that there is not a single suicide. State government, administration, NGO — all are working towards it. I feel pained even at a single suicide incident. We will try better. We will try to make them feel at home here. Kota’s atmosphere is very peaceful which is why so many come here to study. Every family in Kota works as a guardian. I wish they study, go forward in life. If there’s any tension, they should pause and think for 10 minutes. The future ahead is long.
Q: Your opponent Prahlad Gunjal has alleged you have created an atmosphere of fear, you have deployed a drone over his house to keep track of people’s movement there. How do you want to respond?
Om Birla: He has a knack for untruth and falsehood from the very beginning. Everyone knows who is monitoring whom. The party (BJP) gave him enough time and chances (while he was in BJP before making a switch to the Congress). People gave their verdicts (to you). I say, fight the election on issues. If you have switched to a new party…You were in one party three months ago and now in another, talk about the schemes of that party. The people of Kota know who creates this atmosphere of fear and terror.
Q: So please be clear, who is creating this atmosphere of fear?
Om Birla: The people of Kota know.
Q: But I am not from Kota.
Om Birla: I never make commentary on others. The society knows everything and is watching everything.
Q: 2014, 2019 and 2024 — each time Congress had to change its candidate and each time your vote share went up. Will this happen this time as well?
Om Birla: In 2014 or 2019, we fought to make Modi Sarkar. This time isn’t any different.
Q: So Modi is the real factor?
Om Birla: Absolutely, everywhere.
Q: But if one would ask, who is opposite PM Modi?
Om Birla: There is no one. The INDIA bloc has been broken. There is no one opposite PM Modi, go and ask the electorate.
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