Naxals Eliminated, ‘Dimagi Naxals’ Still Active: Modi Warns
Prime Minister on Saturday called upon the nation to remain alert against anti-India forces, both within the country and outside, which, he warned, were attempting to gain ground.
Addressing the gathering at the Ekta Diwas celebrations in Kevadia, Gujarat, Modi said that while the government had succeeded in eliminating Naxalism in several parts of the country, the so-called “Dimagi Naxals” continued to remain active and had assumed a disruptive role.
In a democracy, the Opposition has a responsible role to play. It should point out the government’s mistakes and cooperate in the country’s development. However, Modi alleged that Opposition parties had become frustrated and were increasingly resorting to disruptive politics rather than constructive criticism.
The Prime Minister said the world was passing through a difficult phase, with several major countries engaged in wars and the global economy bearing the consequences. The recent conflict in West Asia had further aggravated the situation. Instead of standing united with the government during this challenging period, he alleged, Opposition parties had sought to exploit the crisis by spreading misinformation and false narratives through social media. He accused them of joining hands, directly or indirectly, with anti-India forces abroad to create confusion and instability.
He said rumours were deliberately spread about an impending shortage of oil, petrol and fertilisers. However, people had seen through these attempts, stood firmly behind the government and helped the country navigate the challenges arising from the global crisis. Modi thanked the people for their wisdom and maturity in dealing with the situation.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, which ruled the country for several decades, Modi said it had popularised the slogan of “Garibi Hatao” but had failed to eradicate poverty. Instead, he alleged, those who raised the slogan had themselves become wealthy. People had understood how the Congress had failed the country, he added.
Referring to poverty alleviation, Modi contrasted the situation before 2014 with the progress made over the past 12 years. He highlighted the government’s efforts to lift people out of poverty. He said before the NDA came to power, even 25 crore people were not taken out of poverty, but in the last 12 years, about 100 crore people have come out of poverty. He referred to the World Bank’s findings on India’s progress.
Quoting the World Bank report, he said India’s extreme poverty rate had fallen sharply from 27.1 per cent in 2011 to 2.6 per cent in 2023, with an estimated 496 million (49.6 crore) people lifted out of extreme poverty.
He attributed this progress to the government’s mission-mode approach to poverty alleviation, the implementation of welfare schemes under the Garib Kalyan initiative, plugging leakages in welfare delivery and ensuring that benefits reached the intended beneficiaries. The government had also prioritised the construction of individual household toilets and introduced insurance schemes to provide financial security to ordinary citizens.
Modi called upon people to sustain their passion and commitment to development so that India could emerge as a Viksit Bharat by 2047, irrespective of the challenges ahead. Cautioning that disruptive forces would continue to create obstacles, he stressed the need for national unity and collective determination.
“We need to continue with the mantra of progress, secure our borders and implement a secular civil code. Only then will we be able to achieve our mission of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,” he said.
Recalling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s monumental contribution to the political integration of India, Modi said the Iron Man of India would be blessing the people for standing united in support of the country’s development goals.
He concluded by calling for a determined fight against disruptive forces, stressing that the nation must move forward with an unshakeable resolve and an obsession to win.