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I’m an impatient agent of change: PM Modi
Setting the stage for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi painted a vivid picture of a nation on the move, powered by lofty goals and cuttingedge technology, literally reaching for the stars In a powerful preelectoral punch, he sought to recapture the hope factor of 2014 by presenting the four years of his reign as a sharp upward and continuing trajectory
New Delhi: Setting the stage for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi painted a vivid picture of a nation on the move, powered by lofty goals and cutting-edge technology, literally reaching for the stars. In a powerful pre-electoral punch, he sought to recapture the 'hope factor' of 2014 by presenting the four years of his reign as a sharp upward - and continuing - trajectory.
The Prime Minister projected himself as an impatient agent of change, castigated the Congress-led UPA for its "governance failure" and promised housing, power, water, sanitation and healthcare for all in his mission to take the country to new heights.
He also announced that the ambitious Prime Minister's Jan Aarogya Abhiyan (PMJAA), dubbed "Modicare", for health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh each to 10 crore families will be launched on September 25 on the 102nd birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor.
In a strong election pitch, Modi reached out to Dalits, youth, farmers, tribals, women, fishermen, security forces, middle class and upper middle class by referring to the work done by his government and his endeavour to improve their lives, especially the poor.
In his last Independence Day speech at the Red Fort ahead of the next general elections, Modi said there was "senseless" criticism against him and asserted he was impatient and restless agent of change for eliminating poverty and bringing all-round development. Five crore people, he said, have been brought out of poverty in the last two years.
The 80-minute address, however, avoided any reference to foreign policy issues, including Pakistan, or the controversies surrounding the spate of recent incidents of lynching, the National Register of Citizens in Assam and the Rafale jet deal.
Breaking his silence in the context of rape and sexual exploitation in welfare homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Modi said there was a need to attack such a mindset by putting the fear of the law that had been made stringent. He said law was supreme and no one could take it into their hands. Reaffirming his mantra of "sabka saath, sabka vikas" (take everyone along, development for all), the Prime Minister said there would be no discrimination against any section and there would be no nepotism and favouritism.
"I want to reiterate my pledges - housing for all, power for all, clean cooking (gas) for all, water for all, sanitation for all, skills for all, insurance for all, connectivity for all. We want to go ahead with these programmes.Modi turned poetic before winding up his long speech, saying that the country's fortunes were being transformed.
