On the last day of his nine-day international tour that concluded in Qatar, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said that “inclusion” is the firm foundation underlying the Indian Constitutional architecture and it finds an echo in the philosophy of the Modi government, which believes in “sabka sath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas”.
He was addressing the Indian diaspora in Doha on Monday. His speech comes in the backdrop of international outrage over the alleged derogatory remarks on Islam made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, which drew condemnation from several Muslim nations. Qatar was the first country to officially take up the issue with New Delhi. Ms. Sharma was suspended from the party’s primary membership following the outrage.
According to the text of his speech shared by the Vice President’s office, Mr. Naidu said, “Underlying our constitutional architecture is the firm foundation of ‘inclusion’, of leaving no one behind. It is the vision that finds an echo in the overarching philosophy of the present Government, led by Prime Minister Modi that believes in Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas.”
Without referring to any particular community or religion, Mr. Naidu asserted that the Modi government cares for everyone, especially those marginalised and who need support. He quoted the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the free ration scheme that covers 80 crore ration card holders, as evidence to this end. He said that the government had ensured no poor household had gone to bed without food during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme is another scheme that ensures healthcare for over 50 crore people, Mr. Naidu said.
The 7.80 lakh strong Indian community in Qatar is a living bridge between the two countries, the Vice President said. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, he said the two countries had recorded the highest-ever bilateral trade of over $15 billion in 2021.
India, Mr. Naidu pointed out, was Qatar’s third-largest trading partner. Since March 2020, Qatar’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in India had increased five-fold. Over 50 wholly-owned Indian companies in Qatar were in diverse fields such as infrastructure, information technology and energy, and 15,000 jointly owned companies were adding momentum to the India-Qatar economic partnership, Mr. Naidu said.
