Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said youth power was the driving force of India’s development journey as youngsters were instrumental in transforming the country into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Taking a swipe at Opposition parties, the PM said that while former Governments were “known for corruption”, the BJP Government was creating new opportunities for youngsters. “We aim to create a self-sustainable society,” he said.

Earlier, Modi received a rousing welcome in Kochi here on Monday, with thousands of people, including BJP workers and supporters, lining up on both sides of the nearly two-kilometre long route of his road show from the INS Garuda naval air station to the venue of a youth programme. Modi landed at the naval air station after 5 pm and commenced his road show from there around 5.40 pm.

Dressed in traditional Kerala attire — a kasavu mundu, a shawl and a kurta — Modi began the road show on foot and waved to the people on both sides of the road and atop buildings along the route, which was under a tight security net with thousands of police personnel being deployed to ensure his safety.

Modi said that once upon a time India was one of the “Fragile Five” countries.  “However, today, India is known as one of the fastest-growing economies. It’s because of the youth, and therefore I strongly believe in the youth of my country. I have faith in them,” he said speaking at the Yuvam 2023 conclave here.

Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Congress in Kerala, alleging that Kerala was being harmed due to the conflict between the two, and expressed confidence that the BJP would be accepted by the people of the State in the coming days.

“Be it the Northeastern States or Goa, all those who have seen the BJP’s work, the conduct of its government, be they of any sect, cult or denomination, they all have accepted the Bharatiya Janata Party. Thus, I can say with conviction that what the Northeastern States have done, what Goa continues to do, it will be done by Kerala too in the coming days,” he said.

Earlier in the day during a public event in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day, the Prime Minister blamed the previous Congress governments by saying, “The party which ruled the most after Independence broke  trust of villages...Meted out step-motherly treatment to them.”

“People, schools, roads, electricity, storage facilities, economy of villages...All these were kept at the bottom of the government’s priorities during the Congress regime,” he said after virtually inaugurating a number of development projects. The previous governments used to avoid spending money for villages, because a village was not vote bank in itself. That is why they were ignored,” he said.