PM unveils statue of Swami Vivekananda at JNU Campus

Published By : Admin | November 12, 2020 | 18:30 IST
Ideology should never be put before national interest: PM
Idea-sharing and flow of new ideas should remain uninterrupted

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Swami Vivekananda in JNU Campus, New Delhi today through video conferencing.

Addressing the JNU students and the youth of the country, the Prime Minister expressed his views on harms of prioritizing ideology over national interest. He said this is one thing that has done great harm to the democratic system of our country. “Because my ideology says this, so in matters of national interest, I will think in the same framework, I will work on the same parameter, this is wrong”, said Shri Modi. It is natural to be proud of one’s ideology still, on the subjects of national interest, our ideology should be seen standing with the nation not against it, he stressed.

The Prime Minister told the students that in the history of the country, whenever a difficult time arose before the country, people of every ideology came together in the national interest. People of every ideology stood united under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in the freedom struggle. They fought for the country together. The country saw the same solidarity during the Emergency. Former Congress leaders and activists were also present in the movement against the Emergency. There were RSS volunteers and Jana Sangh people. Socialists and communists too came together.

Prime Minister Modi stressed that in this solidarity, no one had to compromise on ideology. There was only one purpose - national interest. Therefore, whenever there is a question of national unity, integrity and national interest, taking decisions under the burden of any ideology will lead to the loss for the nation.

The Prime Minister made it clear that idea-sharing and the flow of new ideas need to be kept uninterrupted. Our country is the land where seeds of different intellectual ideas have sprouted and thrived. It is necessary for the youth to strengthen this tradition. Due to this tradition, India is the most vibrant democracy in the world, Shri Modi said.

The Prime Minister put forward the framework of the reform agenda of his government before the students. He added the idea of ​​AtmaNirbhar Bharat has become the collective consciousness of more than 130 crore Indians, has become part of our aspirations. Continuing about the Reforms in India, the Prime Minister urged JNU students to ponder on how the notion of Good Reforms as bad politics changed to good reforms as good politics. He said today, behind the reforms, there is a resolve to make India better in every way. He added intention and determination underlying the Reforms happening today are sincere. He said before ongoing reforms, a safety net is being created and trust is the basis of this safety.

The Prime Minister said for a long time the poor were kept in slogans only and there was no attempt to connect the poor of the country with the system. He said the poor were the most neglected, most unconnected and most financially excluded person earlier. He added now the poor are getting their own pucca house, toilet, electricity, gas, clean drinking water, digital banking, affordable mobile connectivity and fast internet connection. This is the safety-net woven around the poor, which is necessary for the flight of his aspirations. Similarly, through better irrigation infrastructure, modernization of mandis, E-Nam, soil health cards, availability of urea better MSP a safety network was created around the farmers. The government first worked for their needs, now it is working for their aspiration.

The Prime Minister wished that Swami ji’s statue in JNU would inspire everyone and give courage, which Swami Vivekananda wanted to see in every person. He added this statue would teach compassion, which is the mainstay of Swamiji's philosophy. He wished this statue would teach us immense dedication to the nation, teach intense love for our country which is the prime message of Swamiji's life. He wished the statue to inspire the nation for the vision of oneness and to move forward with the vision of youth-led development, which has been the expectation of Swamiji. He wished the statue would continue to inspire us to realize Swamiji's dream of a strong and prosperous India.

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Your Excellency, Prime Minister Kristersson,
Your Excellency, Ursula,
Delegates from both countries,
Friends from the media,

Namaskaar!

First of all, I sincerely thank Prime Minister Kristersson for his warm welcome.

A short while ago, I was conferred with Sweden’s highest honour, the Royal Order of the Polar Star. This honour is not just mine; it is an honour for 1.4 billion Indians. It is also a tribute to all our friends in Sweden who have enriched India - Sweden relations and provided them with a strong foundation.

I express special gratitude to Ursula ji for joining today’s programme which gives special significance to my visit to Gothenburg, the industrial heartland of Sweden and Europe.

Friends,

The relationship between India and Sweden is built on strong foundations of democratic values, the rule of law, and human-centric development. Both our countries see innovation as a driver of growth, sustainability as a shared responsibility, and democracy as our strength.

In today’s meeting, we discussed taking our cooperation forward based on these shared values and common interests. As our partnership is growing across all sectors, we decided to raise our relationship to the level of a Strategic Partnership. Under this partnership, we will move ahead in key areas such as green transition, defence, emerging technologies, and people-to-people connections.

Friends,

There is tremendous potential for cooperation between us in high-tech sectors such as AI, health-tech, and green mobility. A large business delegation from Sweden participated in the AI Impact Summit held in India this year. We will work on concrete initiatives to strengthen the "Sweden–India Technology and AI Corridor.”

To strengthen connections between the startups and research ecosystems of both countries, we are going to establish the India - Sweden Science and Technology Centre.

There is also strong convergence between India and Sweden in our thinking on climate change and sustainability. The Leadership Group for Industry Transition, or LeadIT, is our joint global initiative under which we are focusing on low-carbon industrial transformation. Today, we decided to work on its third phase.

India is doing major work in areas like green hydrogen, the circular economy, and sustainable infrastructure. By bringing together Sweden’s technology and India’s scale, we can create climate solutions that benefit the whole world. India and Sweden’s cooperation in the Arctic region is also playing an important role in improving global understanding of climate change.

Friends,

Our cooperation in the defence sector is steadily growing. The setting up of manufacturing facilities in India by Swedish companies shows that our partnership is moving beyond a buyer-seller relationship and becoming a long-term industrial collaboration.

Friends,

Ursulaji’s presence today makes this occasion even more special. During her visit to India earlier this year in January, we took several historic decisions to strengthen India-EU relations further. I am happy to see that good progress is being made on all those outcomes.

The India-EU FTA will create new opportunities for industries, investors, and innovators. As Ursulaji said, this is the "Mother of all deals.”

The Security and Defence Partnership and the Mobility Agreement have given new strength to our strategic and people-centric partnership. The India-EU Trade and Technology Council has further deepened our cooperation. We are working together in areas such as digital technology, clean energy, semiconductors, resilient supply chains, and innovation.

Political, economic, and strategic convergence between India and Europe is important for peace and stability across the world.

Friends,

In today’s tense global environment, close cooperation between democracies like India and Sweden holds special significance. We have always emphasized dialogue and diplomacy as the means to resolve various tensions and challenges.

India and Sweden agree that terrorism is a grave challenge for all humanity. I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Kristersson for the support we received from Sweden after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam last year. We will continue our fight against terrorism and those who support it.

Excellencies,

Once again, I thank you for today’s meaningful discussions. I am fully confident that through our shared efforts, India-Sweden and India-Europe partnerships will continue to move forward, and together we will keep contributing to global peace, security, and prosperity.

Thank you very much.