Kashmir Impulse Desk
Mumbai, Sep 13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has ushered in a new era of “politics of performance”, moving India away from corruption, casteism and dynastic politics, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.
Shah was speaking at a press conference announcing the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, a month-long campaign from Sept 17 to Oct 17 to mark Modi’s birthday and 25 years in public office.
He said Modi had freed India from what he called policy paralysis, coalition compulsions and poor decision-making.
“Before 2014, Indian politics was suffering from three scourges — corruption, casteism and dynastic politics,” Shah said, adding that the period since 2014 had ushered in a “politics of performance”.
The campaign, whose slogan is “Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva” (public service is service to God), will seek to encourage public participation in the goal of making India a developed country by 2047, Shah said.
Modi will complete 25 years in public office on Oct. 7, having served as Gujarat chief minister and prime minister, Shah said.
The campaign will include blood donation and lamp-lighting drives, youth competitions, beneficiary interactions, motorcycle rallies between Vadnagar and Varanasi, and programmes aimed at expanding access to government welfare schemes.
Shah cited a 7.8 percent GDP growth rate in the first quarter and said India had moved from the “Fragile Five” to the world’s top five economies.
He credited the Goods and Services Tax, Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile system, banking reforms, foreign direct investment, production-linked incentives and Make in India with strengthening the economy and manufacturing.
Shah said 25 crore people had been brought out of poverty, while 81 crore people received free foodgrains and 44 crore people had access to healthcare cover of up to Rs 5 lakh.
He also cited the expansion of roads, railways, airports, metros, ports and waterways, saying the number of airports had risen from about 75 to 150.
The minister highlighted the 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures and cited increased participation of women in the armed forces, police, science, startups, drones and sports.
On national security, Shah cited surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor as evidence of a “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism. He also referred to Article 370, Left-wing extremism and security challenges in the Northeast.
On foreign policy, he cited Vaccine Maitri, trade agreements and India’s leadership of the G20 and BRICS.
“Whatever the problem in the world, the view of India’s Prime Minister matters today,” Shah said.
He said Modi had become the first prime minister in six decades to be elected three times after the early years following Independence.
