PM Modi urges citizens to keep national interest supreme, pledge 'India first'

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the citizens to take the pledge of "India first" and said national interest should be supreme in our decisions.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of new Parliament building, PM Modi: "We will have to take the pledge of 'India first'. Our decisions should make the nation stronger and be measured on the same scale - that nation's welfare comes first. Our efforts in next 25-26 years should be towards how do we want to see India in 2047, in our 100 years of Independence."

"We, the people of India, take this pledge - there will be no greater interest for us than national interest. We, the people of India, take this pledge - The country's concern for us will be more than our own concern. We, the people of India, take this pledge - nothing will be more important to us than the unity and integrity of the country," he added.

"We, the people of India, take this pledge - for us the dignity and fulfillment of the Constitution of the country will be the biggest goal of life," PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister said that democracy in India has always been a means of resolving differences along with governance. "Different views, different perspectives, they empower a vibrant democracy. There is always room for differences but never disconnected, our democracy has moved ahead with this goal," he said.

"There can be differences over policies and politics. But we are for the service of the public, there should be no differences in this ultimate goal," he added.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building at the Parliament House Complex.

"The new Parliament building will be modern, state-of-the-art and energy-efficient, with highly non-obtrusive security facilities to be built as a triangular-shaped building, adjacent to the present Parliament. Lok Sabha will be three times of the existing size and Rajya Sabha will be substantially bigger," a release said.

The interiors of the new building will showcase a rich blend of Indian culture and diversity of our regional arts, crafts, textiles and architecture, it said.

As per the PMO, the design plan includes space for a magnificent Central Constitutional Gallery, which will be accessible to the public.

It said the construction process will use resource-efficient green technology, promote environment-friendly practices, generate employment opportunities and contribute towards economic revitalisation.