AHMEDABAD/WASHINGTON: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the UPA government over its handling of foreign policy, saying the country is being ruled by “weak” leaders.
Asserting that he has given a new meaning to “development” during his 12-year rule in Gujarat, Modi also said the greatest challenge facing India is restoring the “trust” of the people. He also criticized the government on corruption issues.
Modi made these remarks in his hour-long address to the NRI community living in 20 cities across US through video conference on the occasion of Gujarat Day celebrations. The address was followed by a question and answer session.
“I know what damage it can cause when rulers of a country are weak. You should look at the incidents of past one month,” he said.
“I am shocked to see, that China withdraws its forces to its territories but I don’t understand that why Indian army is pulling back its forces from Indian soil?” he asked.
Against the backdrop of China’s incursion in eastern Ladakh last month, Modi said, “I have a simple question to Delhi government that China enters in our land and pulls back, that’s one thing. But what are the reasons we have pulled back from our own land? This raises the questions in the minds of common people.”
Going further, Modi said, “Can you imagine our soldiers getting beheaded? And after some days Prime Minister of that country being offered chicken biryani here. This raises questions.” External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid hosted a lunch in Jaipur in March in honor of former Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
The BJP strongman claimed his model in Gujarat has taken development to new heights and that the nation’s biggest challenge is lack of trust, absence of confidence and to restore it.
“People ask me about what is the biggest challenge before us at present in our country. I strongly believe that the biggest challenge we are facing is absence of confidence.
No one trusts anyone. Country has lost confidence in every institution which we have been relying upon,” he said.
“We have to restore this trust. We have to bring back the confidence in system, process, intentions, policies, moralities. This is the biggest challenge before the country.
We need trust in our country. We need trust in leaders, in parties, in policies,” he added. Claiming that people of India have lost “trust and confidence” in the Centre due to its “poor governance” and high corruption, Modi insisted that the country is experiencing a new crisis due to developments in the last few months, as he narrated several corruption related cases.
“This is the first time we have seen the worst form of corruption anywhere in the world, which we are observing in the country. And nobody seems to be worried at all. What a pitiful situation. They have not left even coal.”
“Our house is set on fire by of our own lamp (Ghar ko aag lag gai ghar ke hi chirag se). Our own people are bent upon destroying us,” he added.
“Every daughter should trust every man in the country.
And once this trust is broken people start taking wrong path, to survive, to live. Acts, policies, behaviors of people who are sitting in the power have caused the loss of confidence in our country. 120 crore people have lost their confidence.”
Referring to Gujarat model of development, Modi said, “We have adopted mantra of Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas (inclusion of everyone, development for everyone).”
“We do not want development of only select sections of society,” he added.
Besides the overseas Gujarati community across the country, who had organized the event, Indian students in several US universities, like the University of Maryland, had gathered together to watch Modi’s live address.
Elaborating on India’s foreign policy, Modi said it is unbelievable that India’s Foreign Minister is seen reading the speech of his counterpart from another country.
“Have you ever thought about it that Foreign Minister of our country, while addressing an international forum he takes some other country’s papers and start reading. What grave insult it can cause to our country,” Modi said in a reference to former External Affairs Minister S M Krishna reading out the speech of his Portuguese counterpart at the UNGA in 2011.-PTI
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