PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and portray a negative image of the nation in the world, underscoring the need to “identify urban Naxals and unmask them”. He was addressing a gathering near the iconic Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district after paying floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister. Since 2014, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary has been celebrated on October 31 as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’, or National Unity Day. “Due to India’s increasing strengths and capabilities, some forces in and outside are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy. They want to hurt India’s economic interests. They want to send a wrong message to foreign investors by portraying a negative image of the nation in the world,” the PM said. Without taking names, Modi said “these people” are also targeting India’s armed forces through a “disinformation campaign” and trying to ignite sentiments of separatism in the Army. “These people are trying to divide the country on caste lines.Their only goal is to weaken the Indian society as well as people’s unity,” he said.

 

They don’t want to see India as a developed country because what suits them is the politics of a weaker and poor India, he said, adding that such “dirty politics” went on for nearly five decades. Modi alleged that though these forces always talk about democracy and the Constitution, they are actually working to divide the country. The Opposition led by the Congress has repeatedly targeted PM Modi claiming that India’s democracy and Constitution are“under attack” by the ruling BJP. The PM urged the people to identify this nexus of “urban Naxals”, which he said is trying to break the country. As Naxalism is ending in jungles, a new model of urban Naxals is raising its head, he said. “We need to identify such people who are dreaming of breaking the country. We have to fight these forces. Today urban Naxals target even those who say that you will remain safe if you remain united. We have to identify urban Naxals and unmask them,” he said. He said due to the Government’s efforts in the past 10 years, Naxalism is counting its last breath in India. Recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution, Modi said though there were people who were skeptical of India’s unification after the independence, Sardar Patel made it possible.

 

He added that the country will celebrate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary forthenexttwo years. According to Modi, every scheme floated by his government reflects the “spirit of unity”. He said benefitswere given to every citizen without discrimination, be it Har Ghar Jal, Ayushman Bharat or PM Awas Yojna. Modi said that after the success of the ‘one nation, onetax’initiativeintheform of GST (Goods and Services Tax),‘onenation,one ration card’, and ‘one nation, one healthinsurance’intheform of Ayushman Bharat scheme, his government is nowworkingon‘onenation, one election’. This approach will strengthen democracy and give optimumoutcomes on availableresources, he said. “We are also moving towardstheimplementation of ‘one nation, one secular civil code’.

 

Sardar Patel’s message of unity in society isatthecoreofthisdecision. This will eliminate discriminationandstrengthenunity among people,” said the PM. Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, PM Modi said it stood as a barrier in implementing the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, where assembly elections were held recently. “For the first time in 75 years, the Chief Minister of JammuandKashmirhastakenoathontheConstitution. I see it as a very important milestone forIndia’s unity. I salute the people of Jammu and Kashmir who gave respecttotheConstitution,” he said. Abouttheongoingwarsin different parts of the world, ModisaidIndiahasemerged as ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ (friend of the world). “India has emerged as Vishwa Bandhu when relations between different countries are getting strained. When differences between nations are growingtoday,countriesarecomingclosertoIndia.Anewhistory is being written. The worldiswatchinghow India is bringing solutions to its decades-old challenges,” said the PM.

 

 

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India cannot compromise on even an “inch” of land on its borders, adding the people believe in the strength of its armed forces for defending the country. India’s enemies “see the end of their sinister plans” when they see the Indian armed forces, he said at Sir Creek in Gujarat’s Kutch district, as he kept up his tradition of celebrating Diwali with personnel of the armed forces. The spot is located close to the Indo-Pak border. “People of India feel their country is safe because of you; when the world sees you, it sees India’s strength, when enemies see you, they see the end of their sinister plans,” Modi said, addressing personnel of the Border Security Force, Army, Navy and Air Force.

 

Today there is a Government in the country which cannot compromise even on one inch of the country’s borders,” the Prime Minister added. His Government believes in the strength of the army to defend the country and does not depend on the words of the country’s enemies, Modi further said Notably, Indian and Chinese troops earlier this week completed disengagement at two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh following an agreementbetweenthetwocountries to end an over fouryear-oldstand-offalongthe Line of Actual Control. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, also said that we see the Army, Navy and Air Force as different entities, “but their strength will increase manifold when they come together.” Development of infrastructure in border areas was a “top priority,” he added. As the country is moving fast towards the goal of developedIndia,“youallare protectors of this dream,” Modi told the soldiers. He also said that Kutch has immense tourism potential, and border tourism is an aspect related to national security which is not discussed much.