Agra (UP): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that India is a peace-loving country but is fully capable of dealing decisively with forces that threaten its security.
“We are people who want peace, but we also know how to permanently silence those who spread disturbance,” Singh said, addressing a gathering after unveiling a statue of Maharana Pratap here.
The defence minister criticised the previous Congress-led governments on the issue of national security, claiming that terror incidents were frequent before 2014 and that political leaders had displayed a soft approach towards terrorism.
“Today, our armed forces have full freedom. If there is a terror attack, the terrorists must be eliminated. If crossing the border is necessary to eliminate them, that should also be done,” he said.
Singh said India is currently the world’s fastest-growing major economy and has emerged as an important manufacturing destination.
“iPhones are being manufactured in India and supplied across the world. The India that was disappointed and discouraged before 2014 is now full of hope, energy, confidence and determination,” he said.
“The reason behind this transformation is the trust of the people and the government’s correct intentions and policies,” he added.
Paying rich tributes to Maharana Pratap, Singh said the legendary ruler’s bravery and sacrifice do not depend on the endorsement of any government or historian.
“Maharana Pratap’s valour and courage were never dependent on any government or historian. Akbar is gone, the Mughals are gone and even their descendants have faded into history. But Maharana Pratap continues to live in the hearts of every Indian,” he said.
Describing Maharana Pratap as more than just a king, Singh said he symbolised an India that never compromises on self-respect and values.
“He endured every hardship but never bowed before the Mughals. To defend his motherland, he turned the yellow soil of Haldighati red with the blood of enemies,” he said.
The defence minister said Maharana Pratap’s life teaches that nothing is more important than the dignity of the country and its people.
“Guided by this thought, we have worked over the last 12 years to enhance India’s pride and ensure security and dignity for every citizen,” he said.
Referring to internal security, Singh said 10 years ago, very few people could have imagined that India would move towards freedom from the Naxal violence.
“For decades, Naxals shed the blood of innocent people and security personnel. Because of this violence, industries could not come up, roads could not be built and schools could not function in large parts of the country,” he said.
Highlighting Maharana Pratap’s social vision, Singh said the ruler had united the society and treated all sections of people equally.
“He never discriminated among his people on the basis of caste, religion or sect. He carried everyone together,” he said.
The minister linked those values to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”, saying the progress of every citizen is the government’s priority.
“When an Ayushman Bharat card is issued, its benefits reach everyone. When factories are set up under Make in India, employment opportunities increase for all. When the Swachh Bharat Mission succeeds, every citizen benefits,” he said.
“We do not practise the politics of appeasement, we practise the politics of satisfaction. For us, service to the people is service to the god,” Singh added.
He said over the last 12 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has worked to improve the lives of poor, deprived and backward sections of the society, in line with the ideals of Maharana Pratap.
Referring to India’s global standing, Singh said Modi has been honoured with the highest civilian awards by 32 countries.
“This honour is not only for Modiji, but for 140 crore Indians,” he said.
Asserting that this government fulfils its promises, Singh cited the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“We say what we believe and we do what we say. We had promised to remove Article 370 and we did it. We had promised that a grand Ram temple would be built and it has been built in Ayodhya,” he said.
Singh said the government’s guiding principle is to retain the trust of people.
“Our belief is that power may come and go, but public trust must never be broken. For us, national interest is above politics,” he said.
On farmers’ welfare, Singh said the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme has strengthened farmers financially and reduced their dependence on loans.
Recalling the condition of sugarcane farmers under previous governments in Uttar Pradesh, he said farmers often had to wait for years to receive payments and sugar mills were either shut down or sold cheaply.
“Today, more than Rs 3 lakh crore have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh,” Singh said.
Comparing India’s global image before and after 2014, he said the country had not received the respect it deserved earlier because of corruption scandals and weak investor confidence.
“Today, every major country wants strong relations with India. They want to do business with us and view us with respect,” he said, adding that 38 countries have signed trade pacts with New Delhi since 2014.
The defence minister also highlighted the growth of manufacturing, saying Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the country’s leading mobile phone-manufacturing hub.
“More than half of the phones manufactured in India are being produced in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Singh said the government has promoted the semiconductor sector and that the first made-in-India semiconductor chip was developed last year.
