Varanasi, January 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that corruption has considerably come down ever since his government came to power in May 2014 as “nuts and bolts” have been tightened.
Speaking at an event after distributing special aid equipment to 9,296 differently abled people at DLW grounds in his parliamentary constituency, Modi claimed this has been achieved largely by “tightening the nuts and bolts”.
By filling up the lacunae and ensuring that the role of middlemen was completely erased in government dealings, the prime minister said welfare schemes are being implemented faster and other projects are being fast-tracked.
The prime minister added that his government is committed to assimilating all sections, specially poor, weaker and marginalized sections of the society into the mainstream.
Modi said that attempts like the one in Varanasi - distribution of aid equipment in large programmes - have ensured that the role of middlemen is completely done away with.
In the same breath, he mused how these middlemen were overworked now as they had the task of attacking him every now and then.
“But let me assure all of you that I am not deterred by such criticism as this would distract me and I will not be able to work on my mission for the people of India,” he said while assuring that he would, in times to come, “continue to trouble such people”.
He said that the mindset towards the differently-abled people must change and the word ‘viklang’ (disabled) should be replaced with ‘divyang’ (endowed with special faculties).
“What I want to do is change the mindset about differently-abled people. When I say let’s use the word ‘divyang’, it is about that change,” he said.
In his December 27 ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, Modi based his concept of ‘Divyang’ on the premise that the people with physical diabilities tend to develop special faculties that even the fully ‘able’ lack. “We see a person’s disability with our eyes. But our interaction tells us the person has an extra power,” Modi said in his radio address of last month.
The prime minister said his government has been working for the betterment of the poor ever since it was formed.
“We are constantly thinking about how development will reach the poor and how the lives of the poor will be transformed,” he said.
On day one of his government he had announced that “it will always be there for the poor and for those who have faced struggles in life”, Modi said.
Modi set a record of sorts by distributing 15,746 special aid equipment to 9,296 differently abled people here.
On Friday, equipment worth Rs.7.07 crore was distributed. This included 3,458 tri-cycles, 1,800 crutches, 686 wheelchairs, 1,400 digital hearing kits, 446 kits for low IQ children, 589 artificial limbs and 300 walkers, Avnish Awasthi, joint secretary in the union ministry of social justice and empowerment, department of disability affairs, told IANS.
Saddened by Rohith Vemula’s death
Lucknow/New Delhi, January 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday broke his silence on the suicide of Dalit scholar from University of Hyderabad, Rohith Vemula, saying that he was deeply saddened by the tragedy.
In his speech at the 6th convocation of the Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow, he choked and paused while referring to the scholar’s death on last Sunday, triggering protests across the country.
“I am not going into the reasons, politics of the issue, but I empathise with the family who has lost so much,” he said as tears welled up in his eyes. He said that at a time when the entire nation looks up to the youth for inspiration and strength, a news like this brings sadness. He told youngsters not to take such drastic steps.
Students disrupt
PM’s speech
Earlier at the event, two students raised slogans against the prime minister as union Home Minister Rajnath Singh concluded his speech and Modi rose to address the gathering. As they shouted that the killers of Rohith Vemula were still alive and raised slogans like “go back Modi”, police officials whisked them away and the prime minister began his speech.
Congress disappointed
The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula have “deeply disappointed” the country as he did not announce action against union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here that concrete action needs to be taken to do justice to the memory of Vemula. “We want to humbly tell the prime minister that mere crocodile tears will not return Vemula or do justice to him. For doing justice, for eroding anti-Dalit mindset of ABVP, BJP, concrete action will have to be taken,” Surjewala said.
Surjewala said the party had hoped the prime minister would announce “sacking” of Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and also action against the university vice-chancellor. “But Modi did not say anything. The entire country stands disappointed deeply,” he said.
