'Rashtra Neeti' over 'Rajneeti' was underlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his closing address at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) National Convention in Delhi on Sunday.
PM Modi's riveting address to the BJP office-bearers and charges included him pointing out the key takeaways of his government at the Centre. Drawing a clear distinction between the two terms, PM Modi said, "Hum Rajneeti ke liye nahi Rashtra Niti ke liye nikle hai (we are in power for nation building, not politics)."
Stating that his administration showed bravery and determination to complete long-pending tasks, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that the nation recognizes the achievement of leading a successful 10-year term and uplifting 25 crore people out of poverty as a significant accomplishment.
"Everyone now knows that we freed the country from the scourge of mega scams and terror attacks. We worked sincerely to improve the lives of the poor and the middle class. People keep telling me 'You have achieved so much and fulfilled all major promises. Why are you still working so hard?' We demonstrated the courage of conviction and grit to accomplish tasks that had been pending for decades. The construction and opening of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya brought an end to a wait spanning centuries," Modi said.
He stated that he had no desire for power and did not prioritize his own interests over those of the country.
The Prime Minister said, "I am not seeking a third term (as PM) to enjoy power. I made a pledge to the nation and people and have to honour it. If I had thought about myself or my selfish interests, I would not have built houses for crores of homes for the poor. My only mission in life as the Pradhan Sevak to ensure a golden future for our poor children. Realising the dreams crores of women, poor, and the youth are what Modi lives for. To fulfil our resolution, we are working day and night in the spirit of service. What we have achieved in 10 years has strengthened our conviction to accomplish our larger goals. Our only goal right now is to work for the country and the people."
"We are working on mission mode to make India a developed country by 2047. It is where we wish to take our country by the time it steps into its 100th year of indeopendence. We have resolved to make India the third-largest global economy, and this is Modi's guarantee," he added.
Building on the efforts of the Centre for the betterment of underprivileged individuals such as the poor, women, youth, and farmers, PM Modi stated, "Today, the BJP is deriving strength from our women, farmers and the aspirational youth to build a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). Earlier people would say ruefully that the government changes hands at every election, the system remains the same. No one bothered to enquire after the welafre of lakhs of Vishwakarma families. We introduced a 'PM Vishwakarma Yojana' for them. No one thought about people living on streets and footpaths.We made the PM Swanidhi Yojana for them. Previous governments did not pay attention to the problems of women but we came out with an initiative like 'Beti Bachao-beti Padhao' that had a meaningful impact across the country."
"We have got health check-ups done for 5 crore pregnant women under Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan. Before 2014, there was a lot of concern around women's safety. We ensured the death penalty for crimes like rape (under new criminal laws). For ftast-track justice in such cases, special arrangements were made. I was the first Prime Minister to raise concerns around the lack of toilets and hygiene from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Women's dignity and respect are paramount for us. I am proud that in the last 10 years, the BJP government has taken many steps to make the lives of women in the country easier," he added.
He stated that his administration has provided 100 million LPG connections through the government's prominent 'Ujjwala Yojana' program, and has constructed 40 million homes, with 30 million being registered in the names of women.
"We ensured the supply of tap water to the sisters across 10 crore families for the first time. We also got toilets made for women across 12 crore families. We also took care of their hygiene by introducing Suvidha Sanitary Pads. We opened bank accounts of more than 25 crore women. We made one crore women Lakhpati Didis. We increased the maternity leave to 26 weeks. Recruitment of women in paramilitary forces, too, doubled under our government. This Republic Day, the Kartavya Path was witness to the country's growing Nari Shakti (women power)," Prime Minister Modi mentioned.
Reflecting on his 10-year tenure as the leader of the government at the Centre, PM Narendra Modi stated that the previous decade in power is evidence of bold and impactful choices.
Speaking at the conclusion of the BJP's National Convention at the modern Bharat Mandapam, Prime Minister Modi addressed party leaders and supporters saying, "The last 10 years of our government stands testimony to courageous and far-reaching decisions. We resolved tasks that had been pending for centuries. We fulfilled a dream and a wish going back five centurues by building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The country, in general, and Jammu and Kashmir in particular, were rid of Article 370 after nearly seven decades. Also, it took us six decadaes after independence to rename 'Rajpath' as 'Kartavya Path'. The demand for 'One Rank, One Pension' was also fulfilled after four decades by our government," PM Modi said.
Delving into the importance of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', a law designed to increase the presence of women in Parliament and state legislatures, Prime Minister Modi stated, "We brought a law that guarantees more reservation for women in the Parliament as well as state legislative assemblies after three decades. We also showed the courage to implement a law that puts an end to the practice of Triple Talaq (among Muslims). The requirement for a new Parliament House had been felt by many for long. It was our government that fulfilled this long-pending requirement."
PM Modi also mentioned that the BJP workers are lucky to have seen significant changes throughout the country in the past decade.
"The BJP workers are fortunate to have witnessed revolutionary changes over the past 10 years of our government. Any country can progress and reach its promised place when the people come to appreciate and cherish its heritage and history. During our decade in governance, the country has not only come to cherish its heritage but also flaunt it with pride," PM Modi said.
On the first day of the national convention on Saturday, the BJP approved a major political resolution called 'Viksit Bharat', which emphasized the accomplishments of the BJP-led NDA government under Prime Minister Modi. The resolution also stated that the BJP aims to secure a third term in office and continue its agenda for comprehensive progress and welfare.
With the Lok Sabha elections approaching, the BJP National Convention was focused on developing the party's strategy and energizing its members for the upcoming polls.
