Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended his trademark hugs with world leaders, saying he was unaware of laid down protocols as he is a common man and this has become his strength, as his openness was liked by the world leaders.
PM Modi also said his basic nature has been “to convert adversity into opportunity”.
Days after being mocked by the Congress over his hugs, PM Modi said had he been “trained”, he too would have followed the laid down protocols of shaking hands and “looking left and right” with world leaders.
“I do not know all the protocols as I am a common man. The openness of this common man is liked by the world. Friendly relations come in handy,” he said.
He further said, “Had I been trained like others…I too would have followed those protocols of looking right and left, had shaken hands.
But I am an ordinary person…I only try to ensure that no harm ever happens to my country.
“When I became the prime minister, there was criticism that Modi neither knows nor understands anything which is outside Gujarat…,” PM Modi said.
“Everybody used to ask me how will I conduct my foreign policy. And in a way, this criticism was right because I did not have any experience.
I got the benefit of not having experience. I did not have any baggage,” he said.
