Marking the anniversary of his first oath as Gujarat CM in 2001, Modi expresses gratitude to the people of India for their continued support.
New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that improving the lives of people and contributing to the progress had been his constant endeavours, as he began his 25th year as head of government. Modi, in a series of posts on X, listed out the changes first his home state Gujarat, where he had taken oath as Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, and then the country witnessed on his watch.
Hailing the Prime Minister as a "Karma Yogi", Union home minister Amit Shah said Modi took the constitutional oath as Gujarat chief minister 24 years ago. During his long public service, Modi has proved that when the vision is "Nation First" and the mission is "Developed India", the leadership can bring transformation in the lives of crores of people, Shah said.
In his posts on X, the Prime Minister said that he was entrusted with the responsibility of Gujarat in very testing circumstances. “The state was suffering due to a massive earthquake that year and had also faced a super cyclone, successive droughts and political instability in the preceding years. These challenges strengthened the resolve to serve people and rebuild Gujarat with renewed vigour and hope,” he said.
Modi remembered when he took oath as Chief Minister his mother told him that he should always work for the poor and never take a bribe. He said that he had assured people that whatever he does, it will be with the best intent and will be inspired by the vision to serve the very last person in the queue.
Reflecting on his tenure as Gujarat CM, the Prime Minister said that at the time, people believed the state could never rise again. “Farmers complained of lack of power and water, agriculture was in the doldrums and industrial growth was stagnant. He said that through collective effort, Gujarat transformed into a powerhouse of good governance. The state, once drought-prone, became a top performer in agriculture, trading expanded into manufacturing and industrial capacities, and social as well as physical infrastructure received a boost,” he said.
Modi said that in 2013, he was made the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when the nation was witnessing a crisis of trust and governance. He noted that the people of India gave a thumping majority to his alliance and an absolute majority to his party, ushering in an era of renewed confidence and purpose.
He noted that over the last 11 years, India has achieved many transformations. Over 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty and the country has emerged as a bright spot among major global economies.
He said that people across India, especially “Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti” and hardworking “Annadatas”, have been empowered through path-breaking efforts and reforms.
Modi stated that the popular sentiment today was to make India aatmanirbhar across all sectors, reflected in the call of “Garv Se Kaho, Yeh Swadeshi Hai”.
Reiterating his gratitude to the people of India for their continuous trust and affection, the Prime Minister said that to serve the nation is the highest honour. He reaffirmed his commitment to work even harder to realise the collective dream of a “Viksit Bharat” following the values enshrined in the Constitution.
Lauding Modi's long public service, Shah said that after spearheading the BJP to victory in three consecutive Assembly polls in Gujarat as Chief Minister, he has led the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as the Prime Minister since 2014, winning three successive national elections.
"Twenty-four years dedicated to the nation and public service! This day is very significant for the entire country, when a 'karma yogi' devoted to public service with selfless spirit took the constitutional oath, considered people's problems as his own, and began resolving them, and these problems kept turning into history," the Union home minister said in a post on X.
Shah said that in these 24 years, be it transforming farmers, women, industry and education in Gujarat or ensuring the nation's security, the welfare of the poor and the upliftment of all sections, including the backward, Dalit and tribal communities, as the Prime Minister, Mr Modi has proven that when the vision is "Nation First" and the mission is "Developed India", a leadership can bring transformation in the lives of crores of people.
