Hours after Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar was designated a global terrorist, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that it is a proud day for Indians of all ideologies, religions and regions and proved that the country’s voice can no longer be ignored on the global stage.
Addressing an election rally in Jaipur, Modi said: “Media reports are coming in from America and New York that the United Nations has restricted notorious terrorist and chief of the terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad, Masood Azhar. It is satisfying that eventually there was a consensus in the world to declare Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. Der aaye, durust aaye (Better late than never).”
Terming it a “big success” in India’s fight against terror, he said, “Aaj Bharat ke liye, har Bharatiya ke liye, chahe woh kisi bhi vichardhara ka ho, kisi bhi dharam ka ho, kisi bhi kshetra ka ho, sabke liye aaj behad garv ka din hai. (This is an immensely proud day for India, every Indian, irrespective of their ideology, religion or region).”
Contrasting his government’s diplomatic win with the previous regimes, Modi said that under the “remote-controlled” government, even the voice of the Prime Minister was not heard, and now, the voice of 130 crore Indians makes an impact at the United Nations. This is the “roar” of new India, he said, adding “this is just the beginning, aagey aagey dekhiye hota kya hai (wait and watch what happens).”
Referring to himself as a chowkidar (watchman), he said, “In the last five years, this chowkidar has left no stone unturned to lift the confidence and self-respect of India across the world.” He said that he has come to Jaipur to seek orders and blessings of new dreams of a new India.
He said that earlier, people would discuss scams and the money and politicians involved in scams, as well as price rise and taxes. He said that under the BJP government now, there are discussions instead on six-lane highways, medical colleges, air connectivity, railway station, new trains, and the housing scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Attacking the Congress, he said that in 55 months, he has been levelling the potholes created by a family, which committed “tabahi (destruction)” while it ruled.
Bringing up the nuclear tests, he said that May has been witness to the working style of BJP, when, in 1998, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran “decades after the first (nuclear) test. “Was someone stopping the Congress government from doing so?” he said.
