New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reiterated that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre would work tirelessly to achieve development for all and said that people had come together in 2014 for progress and not just to form a new government.
In his last Independence Day speech before the 2019 general elections, Modi emphasised that the pace of development had changed since 2013 and the government was committed to providing basic facilities like housing, power, cooking gas, water, sanitation, health and connectivity for all.
“I have experienced since 2014 that people had not just come forward to form a government but for nation building. We are proud of what we have achieved and at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realise the remarkable strides the nation has made. If we had continued at the same pace at which toilets were being built in 2013, the pace at which electrification was happening in 2013, then it would have taken us decades to complete them,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his over 90-minute speech on Wednesday.
Speaking about the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament, Modi said that it was devoted to social justice as both the Houses came together for bills that would work for the empowerment of Dalits and other backward classes (OBCs). “The recently concluded Parliament session was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the Bill to create an OBC Commission,” the prime minister said.
Talking about the issue of violence against women, PM said that the rule of law is supreme and nobody would be allowed to take law into their hands. He particularly raised the issue of instant triple talaq and said that the practice caused great injustice among Muslim women. Modi said that the Union government was trying to end this practice but there are some people who do not want it to end.
“We have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape. Recently in Madhya Pradesh a rapist was hanged by a fast-track court. We should spread this news and make people aware. Rule of law is supreme,no one can take law into their hands,” added Modi.
With less than a year left for the next general elections, Modi also took the opportunity to make key policy announcements like launching Ayushman Bharat, the National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) programme, on 25 September, birth-anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay. In his speech, Modi also reiterated that his aim was to free children from malnutrition and work towards eradicating poverty.
“We will not forgive the corrupt and those who have black money. They have ruined the nation. Delhi’s streets are free of power brokers,” Modi said while highlighting the damage that corruption has done to the country and steps taken by his government.
Reiterating his government’s commitment towards ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ or inclusive development, Modi spoke about housing, power, clean cooking, water, connectivity, sanitation, skills, health and insurance for all. Referring to schemes like Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana, Modi said that ‘dignity of an individual was as important as economic growth’ of the country.
His speech had special focus on the North East, a region where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s political footprint has expanded in the last four years. He said that the times have changed and now the North East is in the news for reasons that gives optimism to the rest of the country. “There was a time when the North East was really far away from Delhi. Now we have brought Delhi to the door of North East,” Modi said.
Modi highlighted how the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had the ability to take tough decisions and that a ‘change’ was felt in the last four yeard because the priority has been ‘desh hit’ (benefit of country) and not ‘dal hit’ (benefit of a party).
“We are proud of what we have achieved and at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realise the remarkable strides the nation has made,” he added.