‘Covid-19 crisis has a message for India’: PM Modi explains in his address to nation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Tuesday night and stressed on self-reliance as the mantra for success.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the path to India’s rise in the 21st Century is through self-reliance and the coronavirus crisis had given a glimpse of India’s ability to turn a crisis into an opportunity.
Prime Minister Modi made the comments during his televised address to the nation on Tuesday evening, when he did not just reiterate his message of self-reliance being the mantra for success in the new world order, but also added that it was India’s responsibility to seize the moment to make the 21st century its own.
“We have to further strengthen our resolve when the world is in crisis, our resolve should overpower the might of the crisis. We have been told since the last century that the 21st century belongs to India,” PM said.
He then spoke about the need for self-dependence and how it was the key to transforming India.
“It is not just India’s destiny to make this century its own but also its responsibility. Friends, as a nation we are at important crossroads, such a big crisis has brought a message for India, it is a sign and an opportunity,” he said.
The prime minister then used an example to drive the point home.
“India didn’t make any PPE kits before coronavirus crisis struck and N95 masks were made here in very little quantity but today, India manufactures 2 lakh PPE kits and 2 lakh N95 masks. We have been able to do it because India has turned a disaster into an opportunity,” the prime minister elaborated.
He added that this ability to turn a crisis into an opportunity was going to be crucial for India in the post corona world.
“Entire world is fighting a kind of war to save lives, we have neither seen or heard of such a crisis before. This crisis is beyond imagination for the mankind, it is unprecedented. But human beings are not known to either break or bow to challenges,” prime minister said
PM Modi qualified his statement by saying that India’s vision of leadership was based on ‘Vasudehv Kutumbkam’, the ancient Indian principle of taking the world along as one family.
“India’s self-reliance addresses concerns about world’s happiness, cooperation and peace,” PM Modi said before citing the example of the help extended by India to several friends and neighbouring countries during the current crisis.
He said that essential medicines supplied by India have infused new hopes in the world which was fighting the battle of life and death.
Further specifying the contours of this self-reliance, the prime minister said it will be based on five pillars -- economy, infrastructure, technology-driven system, vibrant demography and demand.
