Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Bharat Mata ki Jai! 

Bharat Mata ki Jai!

What an atmosphere all of you have created today!

Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat Shri Acharya Devvrat ji, the popular Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, my colleague in the Union Cabinet C. R. Patil, all the ministers of the Gujarat government, Mayor of Ahmedabad Pratibha ji, other public representatives, and my brothers and sisters of Ahmedabad!

Today, all of you have truly created an atmosphere. Many times I think, how fortunate I am to receive the love and blessings of these lakhs of people. No matter how much I thank you, it will never be enough. Look, there stands a little Narendra over there!

Friends,

Currently, there is a wonderful enthusiasm for Ganeshotsav across the country. With the blessings of Lord Ganpati Bappa, today marks the auspicious beginning of many projects connected to the development of Gujarat. It is my good fortune that today I have had the opportunity to dedicate numerous development projects to you. I heartily congratulate all of you for these development works.

Friends,

In this monsoon season, several parts of Gujarat too have been experiencing heavy rainfall. Across the country, incidents of cloudbursts are happening one after another, and when we watch scenes of such devastation on TV, it becomes difficult to even compose ourselves. I express my condolences to all the affected families. This fury of nature has become a challenge for the entire human race, for the whole world, for our entire country. The central government, together with all state governments, is fully engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Friends,

This land of Gujarat is the land of two Mohans. One is the Sudarshan Chakra-dhari Mohan, our Dwarkadhish Shri Krishna, and the other is the Charkha-dhari Mohan, the saint of Sabarmati, Pujya Bapu. Today, Bharat continues to grow stronger by following the path shown by both of them. The Sudarshan Chakra-dhari Mohan taught us how to defend the nation and society. He made the Sudarshan Chakra a shield of justice and security, one that hunts down the enemy even in the ‘pataal’ (underground) and delivers punishment. That very spirit is reflected today in Bharat’s decisions—felt not only by our nation, but by the whole world. Our Gujarat and Ahmedabad have witnessed the difficult days of the past. When rioters, during kite fights, would even take lives; when people had to live under curfews; when on festivals the soil of Ahmedabad would be stained with blood. These aggressors shed our blood, while the Congress government sitting in Delhi did nothing. But today, we do not spare terrorists and their masters, no matter where they hide. The world has seen how Bharat avenged Pahalgam. In just 22 minutes, everything was obliterated. By striking deep inside, hitting pre-decided targets hundreds of kilometres away, we attacked the very nerve centre of terrorism. Operation Sindoor became a symbol of the ‘shaurya’ (valour) of our armed forces and the ‘iccha shakti’ (will power) of Sudarshan Chakra-dhari Mohan’s Bharat.

Friends,

The charkha-dhari Mohan, our Pujya Bapu, showed the path of Bharat’s prosperity through ‘swadeshi’ (self-reliance). Here we have the Sabarmati Ashram. This Ashram stands as a witness that the party which enjoyed power for decades in Bapu’s name, trampled on his very soul. What did they do with Bapu’s mantra of ‘swadeshi’? For years now, those who run their politics in Gandhi’s name—you would not have heard a single word about ‘swachhta’ (cleanliness) from their mouths, nor about ‘swadeshi’. The country cannot understand what happened to their vision. For sixty to sixty-five years, Congress ruled Bharat while keeping it dependent on other nations—so that they could play games with imports and indulge in scams while in government. But today, Bharat has made ‘atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) the foundation of building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). With the strength of our farmers, our fishermen, our cattle breeders, and our entrepreneurs, Bharat is rapidly advancing on the path of development—on the path of self-reliance. And look at how many cattle breeders we have in Gujarat, and see the strength of our dairy sector! Just a few hours ago, I met the Prime Minister of Fiji. He spoke with great respect and admiration, saying he too wished to develop his dairy sector and cooperative movement like ours. Friends, it is our cattle breeders who have strengthened our dairy sector, and among them, our sisters have contributed the most. Our sisters have made the dairy sector strong and self-reliant through their dedication, and today its praises are being sung across the world.

But friends,

Today we can clearly see how politics across the world is driven by economic self-interest, everyone is busy serving their own agenda. From this land of Ahmedabad, I want to say to my small entrepreneurs, to my shopkeeper brothers and sisters, to my farmer brothers, to my cattle-rearing brothers and sisters—and I say this from the soil of Gandhi—that for my country’s small entrepreneurs, farmers, and cattle-rearers, for each one of you, I give you my repeated assurance: for Modi, your interests are paramount. My government will never allow any harm to come to small entrepreneurs, farmers, or cattle-rearers. No matter how great the pressure may be, we will continue to strengthen our ability to endure it.

Friends,

Today, the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (Self-reliant India Campaign) is getting great energy from Gujarat, and behind this are two decades of hard work. This young generation of today has not seen those days when curfews were imposed here almost daily. Doing business and trade was made difficult, and an atmosphere of unrest was maintained. But today, Ahmedabad is among the safest cities in Bharat, and this has been achieved by all of you.

Friends,

The environment of peace and security that has been created in Gujarat is yielding positive results all around us. Today, every type of industry is expanding on the soil of Gujarat. The entire state takes pride in seeing how our Gujarat has become a manufacturing hub. You must be aware, especially the elder brothers and sisters among you, when the movement for a separate Gujarat was taking place, the ‘Mahagujarat Movement’—many people told us, “Why do you want to separate Gujarat? You will starve to death. What do you have? Neither minerals, nor perennial rivers. Out of ten years, seven years go by in drought. No mines, no industries, not much agriculture. On one side there is the Rann, and on the other side is Pakistan—what will you do?” They mocked us saying, “Apart from salt, you have nothing.” But when the responsibility fell upon Gujarat to stand on its own feet, the people of Gujarat did not step back. And today, to those who once asked what Gujarat had—we may not have a single diamond mine, but nine out of ten diamonds in the world are processed and polished here in Gujarat.

Friends,

A few months ago, I came to Dahod. Powerful electric locomotive engines are being manufactured in the railway factory there. Today, metro coaches made in Gujarat are being exported to other countries. Apart from this, whether it is motorcycles or cars, Gujarat is producing them in very large numbers. Big companies from across Bharat and the world are setting up factories here. Gujarat was already making different parts of airplanes and exporting them. Now the work of making transport aircraft has also started in Vadodara. Aircraft are being manufactured here in Gujarat itself—doesn’t that make us proud? Now Gujarat is also becoming a major centre for electric vehicle manufacturing. Tomorrow, on the 26th, I am going to Hansalpur, where a very big initiative related to electric vehicle manufacturing is being launched. Today, all modern electronic devices cannot be made without semiconductors. Gujarat is now going to make a big name in the semiconductor sector as well. Textiles, gems and jewellery have already become the identity of Gujarat. When it comes to medicines and vaccines, Gujarat accounts for nearly one-third of Bharat’s total exports of pharma products.

Friends,

Today, Bharat is moving rapidly forward in the fields of solar, wind, and nuclear energy. Gujarat’s contribution to this progress is among the highest. Just now, while coming from the airport, there was a grand roadshow—truly remarkable! You all did wonders. The roadshow itself was magnificent, and people were standing on rooftops, in balconies. Naturally, I greeted them respectfully, but as my eyes scanned the surroundings, I noticed that solar rooftop power plants could be seen on the rooftops of most houses. Gujarat is also becoming a major hub of green energy and petrochemicals. Gujarat plays a significant role in meeting the country’s petrochemical needs. Our plastic industry, synthetic fibre, fertilizers, medicines, paint industry, cosmetics—all of these largely depend on the petrochemical sector. In Gujarat, old industries are expanding. I still remember—there was a time when people constantly lamented. Those who recall the situation 30 years ago know what people cried about: “The mills have closed, the mills have closed, the mills have closed.” Every day, it was the same story. Whenever any leader came, journalists would ask only one question: “The mills have shut down, what will you do about it?” Back then, it was under the Congress party. But today, while the sirens of the mills may have fallen silent, the flag of development is flying high in every corner of Gujarat. New industries are being established, and all these efforts are strengthening the vision of a self-reliant Bharat. As a result, continuous employment opportunities are being created for the youth of Gujarat.

Friends,

Whether it is industry, farming, or tourism, excellent connectivity is very important. In the past 20–25 years, the connectivity of Gujarat has been completely transformed. Even today, many road and rail projects have been inaugurated and foundation stones laid here. The circular road, that is, the Sardar Patel Ring Road, is now being widened further. It is becoming a six-lane wide road. This will reduce traffic jam problems in the most crowded areas of the city. Similarly, widening of the Viramgam–Khudad–Rampura Road will give convenience to farmers and industries here. These new underpasses and railway overbridges will further improve the city’s connectivity.

Friends,

There was a time when only old red buses used to run. People used to say—wherever you want to go, you go in the “red bus.” But today, BRTS ‘Janmarg’ (Bus Rapid Transit System Corridor) and AC-electric buses are providing new facilities. The metro rail is also expanding rapidly, and this has ensured ease of travel for the people of Ahmedabad.

Friends,

Around every city of Gujarat, there is a big industrial corridor. But until 10 years ago, there was a lack of good rail connectivity between ports and such industrial clusters. When you sent me to Delhi in 2014, I began the work of solving this problem of Gujarat as well. In the last 11 years, nearly 3,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid in Gujarat. The entire railway network in Gujarat has been 100 percent electrified. The railway projects that Gujarat has received today will benefit farmers, industries, and pilgrims alike.

Friends,

Our government is committed to giving the poor living in cities a life of dignity. A direct proof of this is our Ramapir no Tekro, our Ramapir’s Tila, which one sees while coming and going from the airport. Pujya Bapu always emphasized the dignity of the poor. Today, the new homes built for the poor at the entrance of the Sabarmati Ashram are a living example of this. Giving 1,500 pucca houses to the poor means laying the foundation for countless new dreams. The happiness on the faces of those living in these houses will be even greater this Navratri and Diwali. Along with this, as a true tribute to Pujya Bapu, the renovation of Bapu’s Sabarmati Ashram is also happening. Our two great personalities—Sardar Sahib’s grand statue, the Statue of Unity, we completed that work. At that time, I also wanted to take up the work of Sabarmati Ashram, but the central government then was not supportive of us. Perhaps, they were not even supportive of Gandhi ji. Because of that, I could never move that work forward. But since you sent me there, just as the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel has become a great centre of inspiration for Bharat and the world, and when the renovation work of the Sabarmati Ashram is completed, mark my words, friends, our Sabarmati Ashram is going to become the greatest land of inspiration for peace in the whole world.

Friends,

It has been our mission that our worker families get a better life. That is why, we took the initiative in Gujarat to build pucca gated societies for those living in slums many years ago. Over the past years, many such projects have been completed in Gujarat where houses have been built in place of slums, and this campaign is continuously going on.

Friends,

The one whom nobody cared about—Modi gives respect to them. I had said from Red Fort this time—priority to the backward, and making the life of the urban poor easier is also our very big priority. Even the street vendors were never taken care of by anyone earlier. Our government started the PM SVANidhi Yojana for them. Today, because of this scheme, nearly 70 lakh street vendors across the country are able to get loans from banks. This has also benefited lakhs of people in Gujarat.

Friends,

In the past 11 years, 25 crore people have overcome poverty and come out of it. For the world, this is a wonder—such a big figure of 25 crore people coming out of poverty. All economies across the world are discussing this today.

Friends,

When a poor person comes out of poverty, he emerges as a new strength in the form of the neo middle class. Today, this neo middle class and our traditional middle class—together—are becoming a great strength of the country. Our continuous effort is to empower both the neo middle class and the middle class. For our brothers in Ahmedabad, there is good news—on the day income tax exemption was announced for income up to 12 lakh rupees in the budget, the Opposition could not even understand how this was possible.

Friends,

Get ready—our government is bringing reforms in GST as well, and a big gift is being prepared for you before this Diwali. Because of the GST reform, our small entrepreneurs will benefit, and the tax on many items will also be reduced. Whether it is the business community or our families, everyone is going to get a double bonus of happiness this Diwali.

Friends,

Just now I was talking about the PM Surya Ghar initiative. Now, through the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, we are bringing electricity bills down to zero. In Gujarat alone, nearly six lakh families have joined this scheme so far. The government has provided more than three thousand crore rupees to these families in Gujarat itself. As a result, they are now saving a substantial amount every month on their electricity bills.

Friends,

Ahmedabad city today is becoming a city of dreams and resolutions. But there was a time when people used to mock Ahmedabad by calling it ‘Gardabad’. Dust and dirt flying everywhere, heaps of garbage—that had become the city’s misfortune. I am happy that today, in the matter of cleanliness, Ahmedabad is making a name for itself in the country. This has been possible only because of the cooperation of every citizen of Ahmedabad. 

But friends,

This cleanliness, this campaign of ‘Swachhata’ is not for just one day. It is work to be done generation after generation, every single day. Make cleanliness a habit, only then will we achieve the desired results.

Friends,

How was our Sabarmati river earlier? It used to be like a dry drain, circuses were held in it, children played cricket there. The people of Ahmedabad resolved to change this situation. Now, the Sabarmati Riverfront is adding pride to this city.

Friends,

Even the water of Kankaria Lake used to be green and foul-smelling due to weeds. Walking around it was difficult, and it had become a favourite place for anti-social elements—nobody dared to pass through there. Today, it has become one of the best places to visit. Whether it is boating in the lake or the fun-and-learning mix for children at Kids City, this is all part of the changing picture of Ahmedabad. The Kankaria Carnival—that has become a big jewel of Ahmedabad, giving the city a new identity.

Friends,

Ahmedabad is emerging today as an attractive centre of tourism. Ahmedabad is a UNESCO World Heritage City. Whether it is the old city gates, the Sabarmati Ashram, or the heritage sites here, our city today shines brightly on the world map. Now, new and modern forms of tourism are also developing rapidly here. When we used to talk about tourism earlier, Ahmedabad or Gujarat did not even have a mention in the Dasada office records. In those days, when it came to tourism, people from Gujarat used to say, “Let’s go to Abu,” and people from South Gujarat would go to Diu and Daman. That was our whole world. Religiously inclined travellers would visit Somnath, Dwarka, or Ambaji—just four or five such places. But today, Gujarat has become an important destination for tourism. In the Rann of Kutch, the world is going crazy to witness the White Rann. People want to see the Statue of Unity, they come to see the bridge at Bet Dwarka, and even get down from their vehicles to walk across it. Once you take a decision, my friends, the results do come. Today, Ahmedabad is becoming a major hub of the concerts economy. A few months ago, the Coldplay concert held here was talked about across the world. With a seating capacity of one lakh people, Ahmedabad’s stadium too has become a centre of attraction. This shows that Ahmedabad is capable of hosting grand concerts as well as major sporting events.

Friends,

At the beginning, I had spoken about festivals. This is the season of festivals—Navratri, Vijayadashami, Dhanteras, Deepawali, all are coming. These are, of course, festivals of our culture, but they should also become festivals of ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance). And so, I want to once again repeat my appeal to you, and from the land of Pujya Bapu, I am also appealing to my fellow citizens of Bharat. We must adopt one mantra in our lives—that whatever we buy, it will be Made in India, it will be Swadeshi. For home decoration, you should buy Made in India goods. For gifts to friends, choose only those that are made in Bharat, by the people of Bharat. I especially want to say this to shopkeepers and traders—you can contribute greatly to moving this nation forward. Decide firmly that you will not sell foreign goods, and put up a board with pride that says, “Only Swadeshi sold here.” With these small efforts of ours, these festivals will turn into grand celebrations of Bharat’s prosperity.

Friends,

Many times, in the beginning, people might have been more used to disappointment. I remember, when I first spoke about the Riverfront, everyone laughed it off. “Has the Riverfront come up or not?”  When I held a press conference about the Statue of Unity, everyone mocked me, saying, “Elections are coming, that’s why Modi ji is bringing this up.” But tell me, has the Statue of Unity been built or not? Today, does the world look at it with amazement or not? When I spoke about the Rann Utsav in Kutch, people said, “Who will ever go to Kutch? Who goes to the Rann?” But today, there are long queues; people book their trips six months in advance. Did it happen or not? An aircraft manufacturing plant is being set up in Gujarat—could anyone have imagined that? I remember when I first visualized GIFT City, almost everyone made fun of it—asking how such a thing could happen, how such buildings could be built. But today, GIFT City is writing one of the proudest chapters of Bharat. I am reminding you of all this because I want you to carefully see the potential of this nation. If you revere it, if you dedicate yourself to it, then the people of Bharat will never let your resolve fail. The people of this country will give their sweat and blood. There was a time when, after so many terrorist attacks, it was believed that nothing could be done to the enemy. But Bharat carried out surgical strikes and destroyed their launching pads. Bharat conducted air strikes and blew up their training centres. Bharat carried out Operation Sindoor and struck at their very core. Bharat’s Chandrayaan landed at Shiv Shakti Point, where no one had gone before, and hoisted our Tricolour. Shubhanshu Shukla went to the International Space Centre. Now preparations for Gaganyaan are going on. Work is also underway for building our own space station. Friends, each of these events proves that if we resolve with faith, with dedication, then with the blessings and support of the people—who are a form of God—we achieve success. With that same confidence, I say, this nation will become self-reliant. Every citizen of this country will be a carrier of “Vocal for Local.” Every citizen will live by the mantra of Swadeshi. And then, never again will we face a situation where we have to depend on others.

Friends,

When the Covid situation was there, earlier it used to take 30–40 years for a vaccine made somewhere in the world to reach our country. People were doubtful about what would happen during Covid. But this country decided, created its own vaccine, and delivered it to 140 crore citizens. This is the strength of our country. With faith in that strength, I want to say to my fellow friends of Gujarat — the lessons you taught me, the way you taught me, the energy and enthusiasm you filled in me — by 2047, when Bharat will celebrate 100 years of Independence, this nation will have become a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Therefore, friends,

A vital highway to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ is swadeshi (indigenous self-reliance). Another vital highway is Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). And to all those who create things, who manufacture, who produce, I appeal to you—keep continuously improving your quality, keep reducing your costs. You will see, the people of Bharat will never need to buy anything from outside. We must awaken this spirit and set such an example before the world. There are many countries, my friends, that when faced with a crisis, they stand tall and firm, and they achieve results. For us too, this is an opportunity. We must move forward with the strength to fulfil our resolve. I have full faith that just as Gujarat has always supported me, the entire nation will support me, and the country will surely emerge as a ‘Viksit Bharat’. My heartfelt congratulations to all of you on receiving these precious gifts of development! May Gujarat progress greatly, reach new heights; whatever strength Gujarat has, it will prove it through action. I express my deep gratitude to all of you! And now, with full strength, say with me: 

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

Thank you!

Disclaimer: Some parts of the Prime Minister's speech are in Gujarati language, which has been translated here in Hindi.

 

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MJPS/VJ/VK

(Release ID: 2160766)