As he achieves record, PM vows faster reforms

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that stability and development at an unprecedented speed and scale had replaced Congress’s era of instability, scams and misgovernance, winning his government the trust of people in its 12 years. He vowed to further quicken the pace of decisions made in national interest, as leading members of the BJP-led NDA gathered here to hail his achievements.

“The dream of developed India has become the dream of every citizen. We have to dedicate every moment to fulfilling it,” he told NDA members, who marked Modi's twin milestones — completing 12 years in office on the back of wins in three consecutive LS elections and surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's record for longest tenure as an elected PM — by passing a resolution moved by Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu praising Modi as their “anchor and innovator” who was working with the single agenda of 'nation first'.

NDA resolution: ‘21st century belongs to Narendra Modi’

To mark the feats, it said, “The 21st century belongs to Narendra Modi.”

PM Modi said he could never have imagined achieving such a distinction in his political journey and dedicated the two milestones to every NDA constituent. He also expressed gratitude to citizens, saying only God’s special blessings can lead to such an accomplishment and he considers people to be God-like.

The appreciation of the significance of the achievements came along with the declaration that he would speedily build upon what has been achieved to realise the goal of India becoming a developed country by 2047.

“People of the country have understood the importance of political stability at the national level. It is a sign of their maturity that they gave me an opportunity to serve them for such a long time,” Modi added.

He turned the occasion into a call for faster pace of development and reforms at a time when, he said, India’s global stature has risen and it is continuously clocking a fast rate of growth amid sluggishness in world economy due to conflicts.

“The future is full of possibilities,” Modi said, asserting that his govt’s push to make India a manufacturing hub has begun bearing fruit and it is now raring to become a place for data centres and semi-conductors in a century which belongs to technology and data.

Modi, however, stressed that the poor would be at the centre of his agenda, saying that this has always been an article of faith with him.

Before the meeting, Union Cabinet feted Modi for reaching the personal landmarks. “The occasion symbolises the strength of India’s democratic consciousness, public trust and people’s participation,” said its resolution.

With CMs and deputy CMs from 22 states governed by NDA in attendance, Modi stressed that India grows when states progress. “We should rise above political contests and embark on competition for development, and it should become our national culture,” he said.

In a 37-minute speech, he denounced Congress and said India’s fate changed in 2014 when it emerged out of the party’s machinations that plunged the country into an abyss of “helplessness, destitution and an inferiority complex”.

“The nation was conditioned to believe that development in India inevitably moves at a slow pace. With sharp cunningness, this sluggish growth was labelled ‘Hindu Growth Rate’,” he said, accusing the party of linking its incompetence and failures to the country’s majority community.

“It should have been named Congress Growth Rate and it was characterised by a complete absence of governance, policy, intent and decisiveness,” he said, ruing the electoral loss of Vajpayee govt in 2004 when it had offered glimpse of a faster pace of development.

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