Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, in his home state of Gujarat, said that in his eight years as the Prime Minister, he spared no effort to serve the people of the country. The PM also underscored that during the eight years’ reign, he also had not done anything nor allowed anyone to do anything which would make the people of the State hang their heads in shame.
On Saturday, PM was in poll-bound Gujarat to inaugurate a new hospital in Atkot near Rajkot, where he also addressed a poll rally. Later, in Gandhinagar, he inaugurated a nano urea plant and also addressed a gathering of members of cooperative societies.
He said that since May 2014, when he took over as the PM, he and his government have worked to create an India that Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel dreamt of when the country became independent in 1947.
“In the last eight years, we have made honest attempts to build the kind of India that Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel dreamt about,” Mr. Modi added.
“As the country became independent, Mahatma Gandhi wanted an India in which the poor, dalits, tribals and women are empowered, where cleanliness and health are part of life, where economy is based on local solutions and the country is atmanirbhar or self-reliant,” he said, stressing that his government has worked for all of this during its eight-year reign.
Connecting with people
Giving credit to the people of Gujarat for imparting values and education, PM Modi said how deeply he was influenced by the values and culture of the State that taught him to live and work for society. The PM said that he could serve the people of the country “because of your education and values that I have learnt here from you and how you taught me to live for society.”
His lavish praise for the people and culture of Gujarat is being seen as an important step to strengthen his bond as Gujarat goes to the crucial Assembly polls in December this year.
During his address in Atkot, PM talked about various welfare measures his government had taken to help the people since 2014 and particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged livelihoods across the country.
“When the epidemic struck the country, people stared at hunger but the government quickly opened the granaries for the poor and even today free ration is being supplied to them,” he said.
He also highlighted other measures such as free vaccines to all, cash transfer to women and small and marginal farmers in their bank accounts, to providing tap water to houses in villages.
Work of cooperatives
After addressing the rally in Rajkot, PM inaugurated a new nano plant to manufacture liquid urea in Gandhinagar and later addressed a gathering of members of cooperative societies and institutions.
While addressing over 7,000 members of various cooperative institutions, the Prime Minister said that prosperity in Gujarat’s villages is thanks to the robust dairy cooperatives set up by the people of the State. He added that cooperation is the first step towards self-reliance in the country.
He told the gathering that despite the hike in fertiliser prices due to the Russia Ukraine war, his government did not allow the price of fertilisers to increase and burden the farmers. “Our government has increased the subsidy support that the farmers did not have to pay higher prices for fertilisers,” he said.
He also reminded people of the State that thanks to the “double engine government” at the Centre and in Gujarat, the State is on the fast track of development. “Gujarat is witnessing tremendous industrial growth and development because of the double engine governments,” he said, adding that before 2014, every proposal of Gujarat used to be rejected during the UPA regime.
Since March this year, PM has been visiting Gujarat once a month and so far, he has attended more than 15 events either in person or through video-conferencing as the State will go for Assembly elections later this year.
