Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Why are all these Tricolours lowered? 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat Ji seated on the stage, the popular Chief Minister of this state Mr. Bhupendra Bhai Patel, my colleagues in the cabinet at the Centre, Manohar Lal Ji, CR Patil Ji, other ministers of the Gujarat government, MPs, MLAs and my dear brothers and sisters present here from every corner of Gujarat,

I am in Gujarat for two days. Yesterday I went to Vadodara, Dahod, Bhuj, Ahmedabad and today early morning to Gandhinagar. Wherever I went, it felt like the answer to patriotism was the roaring Sindooriya Sagar. The roar of Sindooriya Sagar and the fluttering tricolor, the immense love for the motherland in the hearts of the people, it was such a sight, such a scene and this is not just in Gujarat, but in every corner of India. It is in the heart of every Indian. No matter how healthy the body is, if a thorn pricks, the entire body remains troubled. Now we have decided that we will remove that thorn.

Friends, 

In 1947, when Maa Bharati was divided into pieces, it was the chains that should have been cut, but the arms were chopped off. The country was divided into three parts. And that very night, the first terrorist attack took place on the soil of Kashmir. Pakistan annexed a part of Maa Bharati with the help of terrorists, in the name of Mujahideen. If these Mujahideen had been killed that day and Sardar Patel had wished that the army should not stop until PoK was returned. But Sardar Sahib's words were not heeded and the blood that these Mujahideen had tasted, that cycle has been going on for 75 years. It was a distorted form of the same in Pahalgam. We have suffered for 75 years and whenever the situation of war with Pakistan arose, all three times India's military power defeated Pakistan. And Pakistan understood that it cannot defeat India in a war and hence it started a proxy war. Military training takes place, military trained terrorists are sent to India and innocent-unarmed people, someone going on a trip, someone travelling in a bus, someone sitting in a hotel, someone going as a tourist. Wherever they got a chance, they kept on killing, kept on killing and we kept on tolerating it. You tell me, should this be tolerated now? Should bullets be answered with shells? Should brick be answered with stone? Should this thorn be uprooted from its roots?

Friends, 

This country has moved forward with that great culture and tradition, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, these are our values, this is our character, we have lived it for centuries. We consider the entire world as one family. We want happiness for our neighbors too. May they live happily, let us also live happily. This has been our thought for thousands of years. But when our strength is challenged again and again, then this country is also the land of brave heroes. Till date, we used to call it a proxy war, but after the scenes that were witnessed after 6 May, we cannot make the mistake of calling it a proxy war. And the reason for this is that after identifying 9 terrorist hideouts, they were destroyed in 22 minutes, friends, only in 22 minutes. And this time, everything was done in front of the camera, all the arrangements were made so that no one asks for proof in our house. Now we do not have to give proof, the other side is giving it. And that is why I say that now this cannot be called a proxy war because the funerals of the terrorists who were killed after 6 May were given state honours in Pakistan, Pakistani flags were placed on their coffins, their army saluted them, this proves that these terrorist activities are not a proxy war. This is your well thought out war strategy. If you are fighting a war, then you will get the same response. We were busy with our work and were on the path of progress. We wish well for everyone and also help in times of trouble. But in return, rivers of blood flow. 

I want to tell the new generation, how has the country been ruined? The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960. If you go into its details, you will be shocked. It has even been decided that the cleaning work of the dams built on other rivers of Jammu and Kashmir will not be done. Desilting will not be done. The gates downstream for cleaning will not be opened. These gates were not opened for 60 years and the water that should have been filled with 100% water gradually reduced to 2%-3%. Don't my countrymen have a right over water? Should they get their rightful share of water or not? And I haven't done much yet. Right now, we have said that we have kept it in abeyance. They are terrified there and we have started cleaning by opening the dam a little bit, we are removing the garbage that was there. Even this much floods the place.

Friends, 

We do not want enmity with anyone. We want to live a happy and peaceful life. We also want to progress so that we can also contribute to the welfare of the world. And that is why we are working with single-minded commitment for the welfare of crores of Indians. Yesterday was 26 May, 26 May 2014, I got the opportunity to take oath as the Prime Minister of the country for the first time. And at that time, India's economy was at number 11 in the world. We fought against Corona, we also faced problems from neighbors, we also faced natural disasters. Despite all this, in such a short time we reached from number 11 economy to number 4 economy because this is our goal, we want development, we want progress.

And friends, 

I am indebted to Gujarat. This land has brought me up. The education that I received from here, the initiation that I got, what I learnt by staying here amongst all of you, the mantras that you gave me, the dreams that you nurtured in me, I am trying to make them useful for the countrymen. I am happy that today the Gujarat government has organized this program in the year of Urban Development, 2005. To celebrate 20 years and I am happy that this program was not made to sing praises of the 20-year journey of urban development. Based on what the Gujarat Government has achieved and learnt in those 20 years, it has prepared a roadmap for the next generation of urban development and today that roadmap has been presented before the people of Gujarat. For this, I heartily congratulate the Gujarat government, the Chief Minister and his team.

Friends, 

Today we have become the fourth economy of the world. Anyone will be satisfied that we have now surpassed Japan and moved ahead. I remember when we became 5 from 6, there was a different kind of enthusiasm in the country, a lot of excitement, especially among the youth and the reason for that was that we became 5 leaving behind the UK which had ruled us for 250 years. But now the pressure of when we will become three is more than the joy of becoming four. Now the country is not ready to wait and if someone asks them to wait, then the slogan that comes from behind is, Modi hai toh Mumkin Hai.

And so, friends, 

Firstly, our target is 2047, India must be developed, no compromise… We will not spend 100 years of independence just like that, we will celebrate 100 years of independence in such a way that the flag of developed India will be flying high in the world. Just imagine, in 1920, 1925, 1930, 1940, 1942, if the sentiments created by Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Netaji Subhash Babu, Veer Savarkar, Shyamji Krishna Verma, Mahatma Gandhi or Sardar Patel were not there in that period, if there was no desire for independence in the minds of people, if there was no commitment to live and die for independence, if there was no will to endure for independence, then perhaps we would not have got independence in 1947.  We got this because the population of 25-30 crore at that time was ready for sacrifice. If 25-30 crore people can take a pledge and drive out the British from here within 20, 25 years, then in the coming 25 years, 140 crore people can also make India developed, friends. And that is why in 2030 when Gujarat will be 75 years old, I think that we should make a plan for the next 10 years that when Gujarat will be 75 years old, in 30, 35… in 35 when Gujarat will be 75 years old, we should make a plan for the next 10 years that when Gujarat will be 75, then Gujarat will reach here. It will be here in industry, it will be here in agriculture, it will be here in education, it will be here in sports, we should take a resolution and when Gujarat turns 75, the Olympics which are going to be held after one year of that, the country wants that those Olympics should be held in India.

And so, friends, 

We have a goal that when Gujarat completes 75 years, you can see that when Gujarat was formed, take out the newspapers of that time, take out the discussions of that time. What discussions were there that what will Gujarat do after separating from Maharashtra? What does Gujarat have? There is sea, salty land, here is desert, there is Pakistan on the other side, what will it do? Gujarat does not have any minerals, how will Gujarat progress? All of them are traders… they buy goods from here, sell them there. In between they earn their livelihood by brokerage. There was a discussion about what they will do. The same Gujarat which once had nothing more than salt, today the world knows Gujarat for diamonds. From salt to diamonds! We have gone through this journey. And there has been a well thought out effort behind this. Steps have been taken in a planned manner. Here in our country, when we usually discuss the model of government, it is said that silos in the government are the biggest crisis. One department does not talk to the other. People sitting at one table do not talk to people sitting at the other table, such discussions take place. It may be true in some aspects, but is there any solution for it? 

Today I will tell you the background, this Urban Development Year is not the only one, at that time we used to dedicate every year to some special work, like 2005 was considered as Urban Development Year. There was a year when we dedicated it to girl education, there was a year when we dedicated the whole year to tourism. This does not mean that we stopped all other work, but all the departments of the government were asked that year, if there is a forest department, what can it contribute to urban development? If there is a health department, what can it contribute in the Urban Development Year? If there is a water conservation ministry, what can it contribute to urban development? If there is a tourism department, what can it contribute to urban development? That is, in a way, this year was celebrated from a whole of the government approach and you must remember, when we celebrated Tourism Year, before that no one in the entire state could even imagine tourism in Gujarat. Special efforts were made, ad campaign was run at the same time, spend some days in Gujarat, every single thing came out from it. Rann Utsav came out of it, Statue of Unity was made out of it. 

Today, Somnath is being developed, Gir is being developed, Ambaji is being developed. Adventure sports are coming. That is, things started developing one after the other. Similarly, when Urban Development Year was celebrated. And I remember, I was new to politics. And after some time we won the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for the first time. Till then we had a Rajkot Municipality, but it was not a corporation at that time. And we had a Prahladbhai Patel, he was a very senior leader of the party. He was very innovative; it was his nature to think of new things. I had just entered politics, so Prahladbhai came to meet me one day, he said, at that time there was Chimanbhai Patel's government, so Chimanbhai and the BJP people were small partners. So we should meet Chimanbhai and make him understand that this red bus of Ahmedabad should be allowed to go outside Ahmedabad. So, he explained to me that Prahlad Bhai and I went to meet Chiman Bhai. We brainstormed a lot, we said that it is worth thinking that the red bus should be allowed to go outside Ahmedabad to Gora, Gumma, Lamba, towards Narora, further towards Dahegam, further towards Kalol. Transportation should be expanded, so this is the nature of secretaries of the government, all of them are sitting here, those of that time have retired. Once a Congress leader was asked if the problems of the country have to be solved, then tell in two sentences. A Congress leader had given an answer, which I still like. This was about 40 years ago. He said, two things should happen in the country. One, politicians should learn to say no and bureaucrats should learn to say yes! Then all the problems will be solved. Politicians do not say no to anyone and bureaucrats do not say yes to anyone. So, at that time, we went to Chimanbhai, he asked everyone, we went again, went for the third time, no-no ST will incur loss, ST will stop earning, ST will shut down, ST is running in loss. Lal Bus cannot be sent there; this went on for a long time. We brainstormed for three-four months. Anyway, our pressure was so much that finally Lal Bus got Lamba, Gora, Gumma, such extensions, the result of which was that Ahmedabad expanded rapidly towards Saran, towards Dahegam, towards Kalol, towards Ahmedabad, so the pressure towards Ahmedabad, which was going to increase very fast, accelerated, we were saved, it was a small thing, only then, I was new to politics at that time. I did not know much about these things. But then it was understood that if we rise above the immediate benefits and work for the welfare of the state and its people with courage and long-term thinking, then there will be great benefits. And I remember when the Urban Development Year was celebrated, the first task that came up was to remove encroachment. Now, when it comes to removing encroachment, the first hurdle is created by a political person, no matter which party he belongs to, he comes and stands there because he feels that these are my voters and you are breaking them. And the officers are also very clever. When they are told that all this has to be demolished, then first they go and demolish the temple of Lord Hanuman. So such a storm is created that any politician gets scared, he feels that if we have demolished the temple of Lord Hanuman, then so be it… We showed great courage. At that time our ….(name not clear) was the Urban Minister. And the result was that the roads started getting widened and the person whose 2 feet or 4 feet were cut would cry, but the entire city would be happy. In this, such a situation arose which is very interesting. Now I have declared 2005 as the Urban Development Year. Some 80-90 points were drawn for that; they were very interesting points. So, I had discussed with the party that there will be an urban development year, everybody will have to be involved in works like cleanliness etc. But when this started to be broken, people from my party came, I am telling you a big secret, they said sir, there were urban body elections in 2005, our condition will become worse. All this demolition is going on everywhere. I said friend brother this was not in my mind and in fact I did not have that election in my mind. Now I made the program, now Sir, I also have a nature. We have been learning since childhood that once you have taken a step, you should not step back. So I said look brother, your concern is right, but now we cannot step back. Now this will be the Urban Development Year. We will lose, what is the election? Whatever happens, we do not want to harm anyone, but it is very important to change the appearance of cities in Gujarat.

Friends, 

We kept on working. There was a lot of protest, many agitations took place and a lot of trouble occurred. Here the media people also enjoyed thinking that now Modi was the target, so they too went ahead with full force. And after that when the elections happened, see, I tell the politicians, politicians from all over the country listen to me, so I tell you to see, if you take decisions with integrity, honesty for the welfare of the people, even if it may seem bad at the time, people will go with you. And in the elections that happened at that time, BJP had a 90 percent victory, 90 percent means people who believe that the public is not this and I remember. Now this Atal Bridge that has been built here, on the Sabarmati River Front, I don't know why I was called for the inauguration. There were many programmes, so I said let's go and see it. So I went for a walk on that Atal Bridge, and there I saw some people had thrown paan sprayers. The inauguration was to happen now, but the programme had already been done. So my mind, I said put a ticket on it. So, all these people came, sir, there are elections, the elections were after that, they said you cannot put a ticket, I said put a ticket or else your Atal Bridge will become useless. Then I went to Delhi, I called the next day and asked, I said what happened to the ticket, one should not travel without a ticket even for a day.

Friends, 

Anyway, everyone respects me, in the end our people put a ticket on the bridge. Today, I got the ticket, won the election as well, friends, and that Atal Bridge is operational. I took up the reconstruction program of Kankaria, put a ticket on it, then Congress did a big protest. They went to the court, but that small effort has saved the entire Kankaria and today every section of the society goes there comfortably. Sometimes politicians get scared of very small things. Society is not anti-social, it has to be explained. It cooperates and good results are also achieved. See, each and every thing of urban development was made so meticulously and this was the result and I tell you. The pressure that is going to mount on me has already started that Modi is fine, we have reached number 4, tell us when will we reach number 3? You have a remedy for this. Now our growth centers are urban areas. We will have to plan to make urban bodies economic growth centers. Cities cannot be such that they keep on growing due to population on their own. Cities should be dynamic centers of economic activity and now we should also focus on tier 2, tier 3 cities and they should become centers of economic activity and I would like to tell the people of Nagarpalika, Mahanagarpalika of the whole country. I would like to tell all the people associated with the urban body to target where they will take the economy of that city in one year? How will they increase the stature of the economy there? How will they improve the quality of the things being manufactured there? What new avenues of economic activity will they open there. Mostly I have seen that when new municipalities are being built, what do they do, they build a big shopping center. It suits the politicians as well, they will build 30-40 shops and no one comes to buy them for 10 years. This won't be enough. After studying and especially for agro products. I would say for tier 2, tier 3 cities, value addition of the produce produced by the farmers should start in municipalities, agricultural products should come from nearby areas, there should be some value addition from it, it will benefit the village as well as the city. 

Similarly, you must have noticed that in startups these days, you must have noticed that earlier startups were run around big industrial houses in big cities, today there are about two lakh startups in the country. And most of them are in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities and it is also a matter of pride that a lot of leadership in them is with our daughters. The leadership of startups is with the daughters. This gives rise to the possibilities of a big revolution and that is why I would like that when we are celebrating 20 years of Urban Development Year and we remember a successful experiment and decide the future direction, then we should give importance to Tier 2, Tier 3 cities. Tier 2, Tier 3 cities have been far ahead in education too, see this year. There was a time when the results of 10th and 12th were out, and the children of the famous schools were in the top 10. These days, there is no trace of big schools in cities, children from schools in tier 2 and tier 3 cities come in the top 10. You must have seen the same thing happening in Gujarat as well. This means that the potential and strength of our small cities is increasing. Look at sports, first look at cricket, cricket is played in the streets and neighbourhoods of India. But cricket was restricted to the wealthy families of big cities. Today, more than half of all the players are children from villages of Tier 2, Tier 3 cities who excel by playing international sports. That means we should understand that our cities have a lot of potential. And as Manohar ji also said and it was also shown in the video here, this is a huge opportunity for us, if we focus on the economy of Indian cities to reach the number 3 economy from number 4, then we will be able to reach there very fast. 

Friends, 

This is a model of governance. Unfortunately, in our country, one such ecosystem has taken such deep roots in the ground that it is always trying to undermine the potential of India. Due to ideological opposition, it has become their nature to reject the development of systems. Due to likes and dislikes towards a person, it has become a fashion to term everything done by him as bad and due to that the good things of the country have been harmed. This is a model of governance. Now you see, we emphasized on urban development, but similarly when you sent us to Delhi, we considered an aspirational district, an aspirational block that in every state there is one or two districts, one or two tehsils, which are so backward that they pull down the entire average of the state. You cannot jump at all, it is like shackles. I said, first we have to break these shackles and around 100 aspirational districts were identified in the country. 40 parameters were used to see what was needed here. Now 500 blocks have been identified and focus was laid with a whole of government approach. Young officers were appointed to work with full tenure. Today it has become a model for the world and the developing countries also feel that we should move towards this model of development. Our academic world should think about these efforts and successful efforts of India and when the academic world thinks about it, it serves as an exemplary example for the world as well. In the coming days, we should focus on tourism. Gujarat has done wonders, one can imagine. In the desert of Kutch, where no one used to go, today there is no booking to go there. Things can be changed, the world's tallest statue, this is amazing in itself. I was told about the museum that has been built in Vadnagar. Yesterday I met a gentleman from the UK. He said, I am going to see the museum of Vadnagar. This is the first museum of such a global standard built at the international level and there are very few places like Kashi in India that are imperishable. Which have never died, where life has existed every moment, one of them is Vadnagar, in which evidence of up to 2800 years has been found. Now our task is to bring it on the international tourist map. Our Lothal where we are building a museum, Maritime Museum, 5 thousand years ago we were famous in the world in maritime. Gradually we forgot, Lothal is a living example of that. The world's largest maritime museum is being built in Lothal. You can imagine how much benefit these things are going to bring and that is why I say friends, it was the year 2005 when the idea of ​​GIFT City was conceived for the first time and I remember, perhaps we launched it in Tagore Hall. So, we had put up the big designs and pictures of the city, so my own people were asking. Will this happen, will such huge building towers be constructed? I clearly remember that when I used to show its map and presentation to some leaders of the Centre, they too were asking me, hey, what are you doing in a country like India? I used to hear that today every state of Hindustan is saying that there should be a GIFT City here too.

Friends, 

If we try to imagine and bring it to reality, we can clearly see how great and good results can be achieved. That was the same period when the riverfront was conceived, that was the same period when the dream of building the world's largest stadium was dreamt of and accomplished. That was the same period when the world's tallest statue was thought of and accomplished.

Brothers and sisters, 

We should believe that our country has immense potential and immense strength.

Friends, 

I don't know why, but something like despair never comes to my mind. I am such an optimist and I can see that potential; I can see beyond the walls. I can see the power of my country. I can see the power of my countrymen and with this power we can bring about a big change and that is why today I am very grateful to the Gujarat government that you have given me this opportunity to come here. I got this opportunity to refresh some old things. But believe me friends, Gujarat has a huge responsibility. We are people who give, we should always give to the country. And we should take Gujarat to such heights, take it to such heights that Gujarat should be useful for the countrymen. 

Friends, we should carry forward this great tradition. I am confident that Gujarat will move forward with new strength, with many new ideas, with many new initiatives. I know that my speech might have become so long, I don't know what happened? But tomorrow two-three things will come in the media. I will tell you about that too, Modi scolded the officers, Modi thrashed the officers, etc. etc. Well, that happens sometimes, only this much should be understood, but the rest of the things that I have remembered, remember them and this Sindooriya mood! This Sindooriya spirit, friends, on 6 May, the night of 6 May. Operation Sindoor was started by the military force. But now Operation Sindoor will move forward with manpower and when I talk of military force and manpower, then by Operation Sindoor manpower I mean that every person should become a partner in the development of the country and take up responsibilities. 

Let us decide that in 2047, when India will be celebrating its 100th year of independence, to make India developed and to take its economy from number 4 to number 3, we will not use any foreign product. We should make traders take an oath in every village that no matter how much profit they make, they will not sell foreign products. But see the misfortune, even Ganesh ji comes as a foreigner. Small eyed Ganesh ji will come. Ganesh ji's eyes are also not opening. Holi, Holi, we have to sprinkle colors, said the foreigner, we knew that you too should go to your home and make a list. Actually, as a citizen, I have to do one thing for Operation Sindoor. Go to your homes and make a list of how many foreign products are used in your homes in 24 hours from morning to the next morning. You do not even know, you use foreign hairpins, combs are also foreign, the pins used for teeth are also foreign, we do not even know. We don't know friends. If we have to save the country, build the country, grow the country, then Operation Sindoor is not the responsibility of the soldiers alone. Operation Sindoor is the responsibility of 140 crore citizens. The country should be strong, the country should be capable, the citizens of the country should be capable and for this we have started Vocal for Local, One District One Product, I am not asking you to throw away what you have here. But now we will not buy anything new and maybe there are 1-2% things which you might have to buy from outside which might not be available here, otherwise there is nothing like this in India today. You must have seen, 25 years, 30 years ago, when someone used to come from abroad, people used to send a list saying bring this, bring that. Today, when people come from abroad, they ask if they want to bring something, then people here say no, no, everything is here, don't bring it. Everything is there, we should be proud of our brand. We should be proud of Made in India. Operation Sindoor has to be won not by military power but by people's power, friends. People's power comes from every crop grown in the soil of the motherland. I will use the things that have the fragrance of this soil, the fragrance of the sweat of the citizens of this country, if I take Operation Sindoor to every person, every home. You see, we will make India a developed nation before 2047 and will go after seeing it with your own eyes, friends. With this expectation, say it with full force with me,

Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! The tricolour should fly high. 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! 

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! 

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! 

Thank you!

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MJPS/VJ/SS