Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the country has come a long way from policy paralysis in 2013 to policy dynamism, but those responsible for pushing India into the ‘fragile 5’ are now unable to digest its 7.8 per cent growth.
PM Modi, who was speaking at the centenary celebrations of Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce, recalled that his address there in 2013 as Gujarat chief minister had made a “wave” and even today, 13-14 years later, its impact remains intact.
“In 2013, when I came to SRCC, I presented a vision. Whatever I said back then was my conviction. I have always lived by those words. Dedicating my life to the nation was an emotion that took the form of words. I gave the example of a glass filled with water. Some people see the glass as half full. Some say it is half empty,” PM Modi said.
“I said there are people who can see the glass as fully filled, half with water and half with air.”
It was a time, Prime Minister Modi said, when the country was lacking hope.
“So I said, ‘I see the glass as fully filled’. At that time, development was at its lowest; inflation had hit the skies. At that time, scandals were at their peak, and the corrupt roamed fearlessly. Terrorists were unrestrained and Pakistan was out of control.
“Today, those spreading terrorism are trounced. If Pakistan indulges in any nefarious act, the Indian Army enters their home and strikes; the back of Naxalism has been broken…from policy paralysis to policy dynamism, India has come a long way.
“They once called us the ‘Fragile Five’. Today, they are talking about India as the fastest-growing major economy,” he added.
PM Modi said there were some who questioned his optimism and raised doubts about initiatives like ‘Make in India’.
India’s 7.8 per cent GDP growth amid global uncertainty reflects its economic strength, PM Modi said, adding that those responsible for pushing India into the ‘fragile 5’ are now unable to digest it.
The Prime Minister noted that people have revisited his 2013 address and even today, the impact of that address remains intact.
“I would urge the youth to look at what the situation was back then, in 2013, and look at the headlines of that time. Newspaper headlines were filled with– Indian soldiers killed along the LoC, World Bank lowers India’s growth forecast, current account deficit at an all-time high, inflation rate at 10 per cent.
“I am sure the youth is not aware of what the situation was like then.”
Lauding SRCC for shaping generations, PM referred to college alumni as “OG”, striking a chord with Gen Z.
“When a human being lives for 100 years, they are considered a person of deep knowledge and great experience. When an institution completes 100 years, it becomes an ocean of achievements. SRCC has shaped generations and connected them to a brighter future.
“In its 100-year journey, Shri Ram College of Commerce has shaped generations, connecting them to a bright future. Those who came, they studied; those who left, they left sculpted. SRCC alumni have been very special. In your language, they are OGs,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister also released a commemorative Rs 100 coin to mark the centenary celebration.
PM Modi’s visit to the SRCC comes amid the BJP’s ongoing outreach to the young generation.
In April this year, the Prime Minister met the governing body and a delegation from the college at his residence to mark the institution’s 100th anniversary. He also released a special commemorative postage stamp on the occasion.
-PTI
