Government finally breaks silence on NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant's 'too much democracy in India' remark

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant sparked a controversy on Tuesday (December 8) by saying that "too much of a democracy in India" is amking "tough reforms" very difficult in the country. 

He, however, added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has shown the will to bring hard-headed reforms across sectors despite strong protests. But Kant's "too much of a democracy" quote sharp reactions on social media.

The Centre on Wednesday (December 9) tried to end the controversy with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad saying that, "We are proud of our democracy." 

Kant had made the comments at an online event, 'The Road to Atmanirbhar Bharat', organised by Swarajya magazine.

"So tough reforms are very difficult in the Indian context, we are too much of a democracy. For the first time, the government has had the courage and the determination to carry out very hard-headed reforms across sectors - mining, coal, labour, agriculture. These are very, very difficult reforms. The easier reforms were done away with. You needed a huge amount of political determination and administrative will to carry out these reforms which are being done," Kant said while replying to a question.

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"Many more reforms still need to be done. This government has at least demonstrated its political will to do hard-headed reforms and we need to see them through to become a major manufacturing nation. It's not easy to compete with China. It's not easy to become a manufacturing nation, it does not happen out of holding seminars and webinars. It requires a very hard-headed ground level approach which has been attempted for the first time in India," he added.

Kant, however, tried to defend himself by saying that he did not mean anything wrong about democracy and added that he was speaking about MEIS scheme (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme to reward exporters) and resources being spread thin.