Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he has set a very ambitious target of making the country a developed nation in his third term. He also said India today is a land of opportunities. “After going through this difficult election process, this long election system, something unprecedented has happened in India (this year). What happened… ‘Abki Baar Modi Sarkar’,” Modi said while addressing thousands of Indian Americans in New York.
He said, ‘For the first time in 60 years, the people of India have given such a mandate which has great importance. During my third term, I have to achieve very ambitious goals. We have to move forward with three times strength.’ Modi said that he has dedicated his life to good governance and prosperous India. He said that destiny has brought him into politics. He said that he had never thought of becoming a Chief Minister or Prime Minister.
He said that in the last 10 years, people have seen this model of governance and hence voted him to power for the third time. The Prime Minister was speaking at the Nassau Veterans Coliseum packed with more than 13,000 Indian Americans. Organisers said that most of these people were from New York and New Jersey area, but Indian Americans came from 40 states. 60 charter buses were used to bring them.
Praising the role of Indian-Americans in strengthening ties between India and the US, Modi called them India’s “brand ambassadors”. He quoted a Sanskrit shloka and said that wherever the Indian diaspora lives, they contribute to social and national development in every field.
In his address, the Prime Minister highlighted the celebration of democracy across the world, especially in India and the US. He said, “Elections in India have been completed, while in the US the process is still underway. The recent elections in India were the largest ever in human history. When we see the scale of India’s democracy, we feel even more proud.”
Modi praised the role of Indian Americans in making the country and the community proud. He said, ‘Just yesterday (US) President (Joe) Biden took me to his home in Delaware. His affection, his warmth, it was a moment that touched my heart. This is an honour for 140 crore Indians. This honour is for you, for your achievements, for hundreds of thousands of Indians living here.’
Modi described Indian Americans as India’s ‘brand ambassadors’. He also mentioned the recently concluded T-20 Cricket World Cup in the US. The Prime Minister said that India now aspires to become the third largest economy of the world from the fifth. He said, ‘Today the people of India are full of self-confidence, they have the determination to achieve their goals.’ Modi said that development in India has now become a mass movement.
He said, “Every Indian has faith in India and its achievements. India today is a land of opportunities. The country is no longer waiting for opportunities. It is now creating opportunities.”
The Prime Minister said that 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty in just a decade. The Prime Minister told the Indian Americans, “This was possible because we changed our old thinking. We changed our approach. We empowered the poor.” He said that it is this new middle class that is driving India’s development.
Modi said that for the world, AI means ‘Artificial Intelligence’, but he believes that AI also means ‘America-India’ spirit.
The Prime Minister said, ‘Some speak Tamil, some Telugu, some Malayalam, some Kannada, some Punjabi and some Gujarati or Marathi, languages are many but the sentiment is one and that sentiment is – Indianness. This is our biggest strength to connect with the world. These values naturally make us world-brothers.’
The highlight of the event before the arrival of the Prime Minister was an entertaining cultural programme. 382 nationally and internationally renowned artists performed in ‘The Echoes of India – A Journey through Art and Tradition’.
These include Grammy Award nominee Chandrika Tandon, Star Voice of India winner and superstar Aishwarya Majumdar, Instagram ‘Dancing Dad Ricky Pond’ and singer Rex D’Souza. 117 artists gave unique performances in the program. The organizers said that more than 30 classical, folk, modern and fusion performances were included.
