The prime minister talked about the role of technology in reducing corruption.
By Surekha Vijh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on many key issues relating to India, including cross-border terrorism and a “surgical strike’ carried out by the country across the line of control in his address to the Indian diaspora in the Washington, DC, area.
Addressing some 700 plus Indian Americans at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tysons, Virginia, on June 25, Modi said the surgical strikes showed the world that India can exercise “self-control” as well as show military prowess to protect its borders. Without mentioning the name of Pakistan, Modi said: “No one in the world criticized, or questioned India during surgical strikes except those at the receiving end.” And this was a sign of India’s success in building world opinion against terrorism, he added.
Expressing confidence that soon India would be a transformed country, the dream of Indian diaspora to see a developed India will be fulfilled in their lifetime. Calling the event a “little India” and a “little America,” Modi said he decided to address a smaller gathering of Indian Americans this time in contrast with the two bigger events that he did in the last two years to spend time with those who helped to organize the previous events.
The prime minister, who arrived for a two-day visit on Saturday evening, said that in the last three years, there has not been a single allegation of corruption while people in India were getting better opportunities. “When I think of a developed India, I think of a healthy India, particularly the good health of the women and children of our nation,” he added.
Modi, who is in the United States on the second leg of his three-nation tour (Portugal, United States, and the Netherlands), met President Donald Trump in White House on June 26. Trump also hosted a “working dinner” for Modi. This is the first working dinner that President Trump hosted for any visiting foreign leader.
After arriving in the US, Modi tweeted “Thank you President of the United States (POTUS) for the warm personal welcome. Greatly look forward to my meeting and discussions with you, Donald Trump.”
Talking about the role of technology in reducing corruption, Modi said direct benefit transfer has helped in better targeting of subsidy and eliminated leakage to a large degree. He said that through technology-driven governance, a modern India is being created. He said that when appropriate policies and governance are in place, the aspirations of the people of India can be achieved. FDI is flowing into India at an unprecedented level and all international rating agencies rate India high, he added.
Modi said his aim was to create a “technology driven society” and “technology driven development”.
“Today the world is worried over terrorism. It is an enemy of humanity. When India used to tell the world 20-25 years go, they thought this was our law and order problem. Because they had not suffered. They had not experienced. Today we don’t need to explain terrorism to anyone in the world terrorists have shown it to them,” he said.
Modi asserted that India would play by global rules. “We are bound by global rules that is our culture, our character….. Acting within the norms, for our sovereignty, security… and for peace and prosperity of our people, we are capable of taking toughest decisions… And the world can never stop us.”
The prime minister also appreciated the role of the Ministry of External Affairs, and in particular, the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, in helping troubled Indians across the world. He also appreciated the role played by the diaspora in contributing towards the American economy.
Puneet Ahluwalia, who serves on the State Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia, praised India’s surgical strikes and said that every thriving democracy has the right to protect its sovereignty and its people.
Modi spent Day One of his three-day US tour in meeting the industry titans and the Indian community in Virginia. At a round-table of 21 CEOs, he spoke of India’s business-friendly face, highlighting reforms like the Goods and Services Tax or GST that would untangle a complex jumble of central and state taxes. Later, interacting with the expat Indians, he spoke of his government’s “stain-free” reputation and growing international clout. “Not one country questioned India’s surgical strikes (on terror launch-pads across the Line of Control),” he said.
Some US-based Sikh and Kashmiri separatist groups protested and raised concerns related to civil rights in India in the wake of the volatile security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and recurring incidents of violence against religious minorities in India outside the hotel and White House.
(This post has been updated.)
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