India TV ‘She’ Conclave: Turning philosophical, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister Smriti Irani has said, “All my tasks are over, I have no personal desire or want. I have got whatever I wanted from life.”

Replying to questions at India TV’s daylong conclave ‘She’, devoted to women personalities, Irani said, “I don’t belong to any group. I am myself a group. If you belong to a group, then you have to face pressure. I have never faced any such pressure. The organisation to which I belong knows the nation is uppermost, and upliftment of the nation is never considered a pressure.”

Asked whether she thinks her tasks are over, Smriti Irani replied, “Sab tasks poora ho gaya. Life is a responsibility, which I am discharging. Life is an opportunity (avsar). Whether I was in media or politics, I did well. When I give such answers, people become surprised. Spirituality teaches you detachment. Main jab kahti hoon, sab kuch paa liya, toh log kahengey, Arrey, inke andar kuch chaah (desire) nahin hai? Already, Maine Jeevan me jo chaha, woh mil gaya. Ab jeevan jitna baaki hai, woh dusron ke liye (pause).” (When I say, I have got everything, people say, Arre, she has no desire left? Already, I have got whatever I wanted in life. I will devote the rest of my life for others).

Elaborating, Smriti Irani said, “Ek Leader Ka Chaah Se Kya Lena Dena? Leader Ka Kaam Hai Sewa Dena, Chahna Matlab Sewa Lena (smiled mischievously) A leader’s work is to discharge responsibility. It has nothing to do with his personal desire or personal want.” (What has a leader got to do anything with desire? A leader’s job is to serve. To desire means to seek service from others).

The former Union Minister said, “If you can serve your country, your people, and your community, you are a leader. Mujhe Koi Vyaktigat Chaah Nahin Hai. That’s why I attended this conclave wearing chappals, because I am not in need of any validation.”

Smriti Irani said, “I was sent to Amethi to contest not because I was a woman but as a potent weapon (‘shastra’) of BJP. There was no role of gender in this. As far as oratory is concerned, I was trained when I was part of RSS. There you learn debating, taking part in discourse on topics. It was part of ‘sanskar’.”

It may be recalled that Smriti Irani first contested for Lok Sabha from Amethi in 2014 and lost to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by more than one lakh votes. She returned to defeat Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in 2019 by more than 55,000 votes. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Smriti Irani lost to Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma from Amethi by more than 1.67 lakh votes.

Smriti Irani said, “I believe in ‘Zindagi Apne Dum Pe Jiyo, Ya Phir Auron Ke Dum Pe Maro’. Every action of yours in life has a consequence, and one should have the capability to face the consequence. If one has made a mistake, one should have the courage to accept it. This ‘funda’ should be clear.”

Elaborating, the BJP leader said, “I don’t have a painful page (panna) in life. Aisa koi panna nahin, jo dardnaak ho, yeh Saas Bahu serial me hota hai, yahan nahin (laughs).”