India is well on its way to become a 21st century powerhouse, aided by the collective will of 125 crore people and a “demographic dividend” that no other country can boast of, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an ecstatic Indian-American gathering in Silicon Valley on Sunday. Amid scenes reminiscent of his memorable Madison Square Garden event in New York a year ago, Modi lauded Indian techies as a class for transforming the country’s image to a point that the world has finally begun to acknowledge that the 21st century indeed belongs to India.
Modi, who touched on a wide range of issues, identified terrorism and global warming as the major global challenges of our time and attacked the United Nations for its inability to even agree on a definition of terrorism. “If it has taken the UN 15 years to define terrorism, how long will it take to fight terrorismIJ” he asked.
In an obvious reference to Pakistan, he ridiculed those trying to make a distinction between “good terrorism” and “bad terrorism” and said, “Terrorism is terrorism….India has been suffering from terrorism for 40 years. All human forces should come together against terrorism.” He urged the UN to resolve the terror definition issue once and for all in this 70th anniversary year, commenting, “We cannot safeguard humanity if we do not come to an agreement on what constitutes terrorism.”
Turning to the Indian talents that have played their part in the advancement of Silicon Valley, Modi said while there has always been a debate back home on “brain drain”, he for one looks at them as “brain deposit” that India can hope to regain at a time of need. “Brain drain can become brain gain... This is actually brain deposit and it would serve its motherland at an appropriate time,” he said, and then remarked such a moment has indeed arrived.
Praising the skill and commitment of Indian IT professionals, Modi said, “Your fingers have created magic on the keyboard and the computer and this gave India a new identity. Your skill and commitment is wonderful. Sitting here, with your innovations, you are compelling the world to change. And the people who refuse to change, are soon going to become irrelevant… The biggest thing, American citizens feel proud of is the people of Indian origin. I congratulate you for this, I salute you.”
In an hour-long address at San Jose’s SAP Center, punctuated by “Modi, Modi” chants, the Prime Minister also launched a veiled attack on the predecessor UPA regime over corruption and sought to target the Congress’s first family, without explicitly naming it.
“In our country, it doesn’t take long for allegations to come up against politicians. Someone made Rs50 crore, someone else made Rs100 crore. Son made Rs250 crore, daughter made Rs500 crore,” he said and paused dramatically before adding, “Damaad (son-in-law) made Rs1,000 crore….”
“Aren’t you sick of all of thisIJ Aren’t you angryIJ My countrymen, I am standing in your midst today. Is there any allegation against meIJ” he quizzed and the audience packing the 18,500-seat stadium roared, “No.” Modi said his one word of reassurance to the people is simply that he will live and die for the country and the audience responded with chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
Reviewing the work of his Government in its first 16 months, Modi said the world’s perception about India has changed dramatically during this period. India appeared to be going off the radar around the time he assumed office, but now the world is looking at India with a sense of hope and optimism. “I want a certificate from you,” Modi demanded with a rhetorical flourish as he listed a number of his initiatives to improve governance and turn around the economy. He said he has tried to live up to his word that he would work round the clock in the service of the nation.
“I can tell you with confidence that this country will not remain behind,” he said and lauded the Indian techies at home and abroad for being instrumental in changing perceptions by weaving magic with their fingers on computer keyboards. Also a country with 800 million people, that is 65 per cent of its population, under 35 years of age cannot be held back by anyone, he said.
Several members of the US Congress turned up at the venue to meet Modi and hear him. They included former Speaker and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce, Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American Congressmen, and Tulsi Gabbard, the only Hindu lawmaker in US Congress.
Modi for his part lauded California as the place where “IT and our democratic values have tied us together in a union”, he said, yet stressing that India’s link with this region goes back a long time, beginning with the arrival of Indian Sikhs to work in California’s farms.
Modi made a special mention of his Government’s “JAM initiative” --- J for Jan Dhan financial inclusion programme, A for Aadhar unique identity card, and M for mobile governance. He said the linking of the three would help eradicate corruption in the system.
What previous Governments failed to do in 40 years, his Government achieved within 100 days by opening 180 million bank accounts for the poor, Modi said and highlighted the fact that the Jan Dhan Yojana, despite allowing people to open accounts with zero balance, has brought in Rs 32,000 crore. He also touched on skill development, Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao, and the soil health card, and neem coating for urea to help farmers.
Modi paid tributes to the revolutionary Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary, asking the gathering to join him in saluting the martyr.