Students question Narendra Modi about childhood, politics

New Delhi, Sept 5: Prime Minister

on Friday was left stumped when

from across the country floored him with questions on

's Day.

After his speech many students asked him questions right from his childhood days to his days as the PM. One of he students asked him: "People say you are like a headmaster but you appear to us as friendly. What kind of person are you?"

Modi responded saying that he works hard and is a "taskmaster". Modi added that he works hard and expects the same from others.

He said that during his Aug 15 address, he said that he was willing to work for 12 hours if his officers were willing to work for 11 hours.

In an answer to a question from a student, said his life has become very busy since he became the prime minister. "When I was chief minister, I did not have to care much about what I was speaking, but now I have to be careful so that whatever I say does not cause harm to the nation. I remain conscious of what I say," the prime minister said.

Modi: I am not a headmaster, but a taskmaster

He also said that because of his long stint as chief minister of Gujarat, he did not find the role of prime minister very different.

Stressing on the factor of cleaniless, Modi said that he needed help from every school in the task of building toilets for children, and cleanliness should be part of efforts at character building. Modi recalled his recent visit to Japan and said he was told by an "Indian family" that students and teachers there together clean and mop up toilets.

"They said it was part of character building. How do we build national character," Modi said.

Referring to his Independence Day speech in which he referred to absence of toilets in some schools, particularly for the girls, Modi said it was a very important task. "I need help from every school. An atmosphere should be created," he said.

IANS