Modi cites iconic speeches of Nehru, Vajpayee, says they remain inspiring

Modi said the old Parliament building has witnessed history in the making and that it has the soul of India and democracy in it as he recalled the iconic speeches of Nehru and Vajpayee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday cited iconic speeches of his predecessors Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said they will keep inspiring lawmakers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI)

“Pandit Nehru’s ‘at stroke of midnight’ [speech], and Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement ‘sarkaare aayengi jayengi, lekin desh rehna chahiye [governments will come and go but the country should endure]’ will reverberate here [Parliament] forever,” Modi said as he started a discussion in Lok Sabha on Parliament’s 75 years soon after the House convened on the first day of a five-day special session.

Nehru made the iconic “a tryst with destiny” speech at the stroke of midnight following the transfer of power from the British on August 15, 1947. Nehru called for the people of India at the dawn of independence “to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India but they are also for the world.”

Modi’s reference to Nehru and his iconic speech are significant as Congress has been accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining the first Prime Minister’s legacy of secular institution-building and conviction that India belonged to all its people.

Modi said the old Parliament building has witnessed history in the making. He added it has the soul of India and democracy in it as he recalled the iconic speeches of Nehru and Vajpayee.

The special session of Parliament began in the existing building on Monday before it is due to move to the new House complex a day later.

Modi also praised reporters who covered Parliament. “As we leave this House, I want to remember those media friends who have contributed to covering Parliament. They reported minute-by-minute developments in Parliament when modern technology like now did not exist. Not only did they share the news but even dug into the smallest gossip in the Parliament and shared it.”