PM Modi brought back India's dignity: Amit Shah at HTLS

Union home minister Amit Shah said at HTLS 2021 that India’s defence policy came out of the shadow of foreign policy, and we gave a befitting reply to incursions from across the border by “surgical strikes”.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday highlighted how Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) transformed the country in the last seven years. Addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) on its final day, Shah said India was in a state of ‘policy paralysis’ before 2014, and it was changed by the present dispensation.

Union home minister Amit Shah addresses Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2021 on Saturday.

He was introduced by HT Media Limited’s Chairperson and Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia, who lauded the efforts put in by the central government in tackling the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The home minister further listed the achievements in the last seven years, including surgical strike and repeal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah started his address by mentioning the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, saying that such is the impact of the disease that the world will be known as 'before Covid and after Covid' “like we do for World Wars”.

“Many changes have come due to Covid-19, not just in politics but several other aspects. The important question to ask is: Are we ready for the change?” he said.

“India witnessed a stable government after 2014. Before 2014, India was in a state of 'policy paralysis'. India's dignity suffered, every minister thought he/she is the prime minister. PM Modi has successfully solved many issues with patience and planning,” he added.

PM Modi included 80 crore people who were never a part of country's progress, said Shah, listing direct benefit transfer (DBT), poverty alleviation, rural electrification and other programmes launched by the government.

The former BJP president said the Modi government also resolved the issues in financial sector with discipline and reduced the share of non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks to a minuscule amount.

Shah said that India’s defence policy came out of the shadow of foreign policy and we gave a fitting reply to incursions from across the border by “surgical strikes”.

Listing several other development initiatives, Shah said, “If I go on, you will think it’s an excerpt from Mahabharata or Ramayana.”

The home minister said that due to numerous steps taken by the Modi government, the forex increased from 473 billion to 640 billion.