Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the resounding mandate given to the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls was for building a ‘new India’, and asserted that corruption, nepotism, loot of people’s money, and terrorism have been reined in like never before.
Addressing the Indian community at the UNESCO headquarters here, Mr. Modi also talked about “major decisions” — such as the law against triple talaq — taken by his government in its second term.
In a veiled reference to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Modi said, “There is no scope for ‘temporary’ in India. You would have seen that a country of 1.25 billion people, the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha, Ram, Krishna, took 70 years to remove what was temporary. To remove temporary, it took 70 years, I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry... Reform, perform, and transform and with permanent systems, the country is moving forward to achieve its goal.”
Mr. Modi, who was in France on the first leg of his three-nation tour, said there have been a number of constructive changes in the last five years. “India is racing ahead not because of Modi...it is because of the stamp of approval that the people of India have given in the form of their votes,” the Prime Minister said, amid loud cries of ‘Modi hai toh mumkin hai’ (it is possible if Modi is there) from the crowd.
He also asserted that “in ‘new India’, corruption, nepotism, dynasty, loot of people’s money, and terrorism have been reined in like never before.”
“Inspired by the mantra of clear policy and right direction, several major decisions have been taken by the government,” he said.
Mr. Modi also said that India has embarked upon a journey of hope and aspirations, and with the collective efforts of its people, the country was moving ahead at a fast pace on the path of development.
“This is the reason that people have again given us a resounding mandate. This mandate is not just to run the government, but it is for building a new India,” Mr. Modi said.
“Friendship between India and France is based on strong ideals. The character of both nations was built on the common values of liberty, equality and fraternity,” he said.
