Lucknow, Dec 25 (JKNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party considers it a matter of pride that its government got the historic opportunity to revoke Article 370, terming the move a decisive step towards strengthening national integration and governance.
Speaking at a public function after inaugurating the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said the BJP-led NDA government fulfilled a long-pending national commitment by removing what he described as a “barrier” to India’s unity.
As per news agency JKNS, Prime Minister said the vision of good governance laid down during Vajpayee’s tenure is being taken forward with greater resolve at both the Centre and in BJP-ruled states. He also remarked that for decades after Independence, a culture developed where achievements were credited to a single family, which, he said, undermined democratic institutions.
Highlighting welfare reforms, Modi said his government adopted Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Antyodaya philosophy to ensure inclusive development. He noted that beneficiaries under social security schemes have increased from around 25 crore before 2014 to nearly 95 crore at present.
The Prime Minister also expressed confidence that Uttar Pradesh’s defence corridor will soon emerge as a globally recognised hub for defence manufacturing.
Modi was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior leaders. He received a warm reception from people who waved the tricolour and raised slogans in his support.
The Rashtra Prerna Sthal, a national memorial dedicated to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP’s ideological leaders, houses large bronze statues of Vajpayee, Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, along with a state-of-the-art lotus-shaped museum highlighting their contributions. (JKNS)