New India is Ambedkar's India: Modi

Calling it B.R. Ambedkar's India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the "New India" belonged to the poor and the backward.

In his monthly radio programme "Mann Ki Baat", the Prime Minister said Ambedkar showed that it was not necessary for a person to be born in a rich family in order to succeed, but even those born in poor families can dare to dream and realise those dreams.

"Many people mocked Baba Saheb Ambedkar, tried to pull him back and made every possible effort to ensure that the son of an impoverished and backward family would not progress in life, be something and succeed in life," Modi said.

"But, the picture of New India is altogether different. It is an India which is Ambedkar's India, of the poor and the backward."

Modi said Ambedkar was an "inspiration for millions of people like me, who belong to backward classes".

He said to honour the architect of India's constitution, the government would begin the 'Gram-Swaraj Abhiyan' on his birth anniversary on April 14 which will go on till May 5.

"Under the aegis of this campaign, separate programmes on village development, poverty amelioration and social justice will be held throughout India," he said.

Modi said in the era of 1940s, when the whole world was focused on the Second World War, the looming Cold War and the partition of the sub-continent, Ambedkar laid the foundation of "Team India's spirit" as he talked about federalism, and on Center and states working together for the upliftment of the country. 

"Today, we have adopted in all aspects of governance the mantra of co-operative federalism and going a step further, we have adopted competitive cooperative federalism," he added.