Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said providing benefits of government schemes to the needy ireespective of caste and religion is true secularism, adding that the selective approach of previous governments towards development forced a sizeable population in the country to yearn for basic facilities.
“In the many decades since Independence, the approach of ruling regimes towards development was selective, forcing a numerically sizeable population of the country yearning for basic facilities. But our double engine government changed that; we are making lives of every citizen easier and providing benefits of governments schemes to the needy people of all the sections of society. It is social justice and secularism in the true sense. This is the social justice that [socialist leaders] J.P. [Narayan] and [Ram Manohar] Lohia dreamed of,” said Mr. Modi in Lucknow launching 14,000 projects across Uttar Pradesh worth more than ₹10 lakh crore at the fourth ground-breaking ceremony for investment proposals received during the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit.
Lauding the transformation of Uttar Pradesh in the last seven years under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime, the PM said it was unimaginable seven years ago that such a favourable environment for investments would come in the State, due to high rate of crime and communal flare-ups.
‘Unimaginable earlier’
“Seven years ago, such a favourable atmosphere for investments was unimaginable in U.P. due to high rate of crime and riots. Today, investment worth lakhs of crores are coming. Work is starting on thousands of projects. These initiatives will change the face of the State. When U.P. develops, India will develop. In the last seven years, a red carpet culture has replaced the red tape culture,” added Mr. Modi, who is a Member of Parliament from Varanasi.
The PM hailed the infrastructure development in U.P., adding that the State has maximum number of expressways. “Today, Uttar Pradesh is the State with highest number of expressways and international airports. It is the State where the country’s first rapid rail is running,” said Mr. Modi. He added that the country is proud of the State’s aim to become a $1 trillion economy.
“I have full faith in Uttar Pradesh and the double engine government... Other states should learn from U.P. and then enter the field with a similar resolve.”
Mr. Modi watched glimpses of the changing U.P. through films screened at the event. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, U.P. Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chairman of the State Legislative Council, Speaker of U.P. Assembly and representatives of the industrial sector were present in the event.
Temple foundation stone
Earlier, Mr. Modi reached Sambhal district in western U.P. and laid the foundation stone of Shri Kalki Dham Temple. PM, while addressing a gathering after the ceremony, said that he himself was entrusted the responsibility to build “the temple of the nation” referring to the recently consecrated Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
“Just as Pramod Krishnan ji is building a temple here, I too have been entrusted with the responsibility of building the temple of the nation,” he said.
The PM added: “India suffered invasions for hundreds of years. Had it been any other country, it would have been destroyed by now. But we are still standing. The sacrifices made over centuries are now coming to fruition. For the first time, India, rather than following, is blazing the trail for the world to emulate.”
