New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday asserted that India is not only growing at 7.8 per cent but also creating employment opportunities despite wars and disruptions, demonstrating the country’s strength, and said that those responsible for pushing the economy into the “fragile five” cannot digest it.
Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), PM Modi also said that those who once spread terror have been silenced and if today Pakistan commits any misdeed, the Indian Army strikes back on their own soil.
He said from Jammu and Kashmir to the Northeast, there is peace and Naxalism has been dismantled.
Recalling that the country was struggling on every front in 2013, when he last addressed SRCC students as Gujarat chief minister, Modi said corruption, terrorism and inflation were unchecked, but India is now far more secure economically and socially.
However, some people’s frustration is increasing after seeing this, he said. “For such people, I had given a homoeopathy dose from the Red Fort (during Independence Day address)… ‘dimagi Naxal’.
“When I said ‘dimagi Naxal’, all such people came to the forefront and started criticising me. People who were promoting dimagi Naxalism, their true colour can be witnessed by the people,” he said.
The prime minister said the world was at that time worried about India’s policy paralysis, but today they are talking about India’s policy dynamism.
Modi said that in other words, India is not only growing, but also creating employment opportunities. “They once called us the ‘Fragile Five’. Today, they are talking about India as the fastest-growing major economy,” he said
He recalled that his address at SRCC in 2013 had made a “wave” and even today, 13-14 years later, its impact remains intact.
“In 2013, when I came to SRCC, I presented a vision. Whatever I said back then was my conviction… I gave the example of a glass filled with water. Some people see the glass as half full… It was a time when the country was lacking hope. So I said, ‘I see the glass as fully filled’,” he said.
“Those who saw the glass as half empty in 2013, when I had visited the SRCC, still chose to see it the same way today.
“India’s 7.8 per cent growth has also come at a time when the war in West Asia is ongoing and when disruptions related to trade have persisted. Achieving such growth during that time demonstrates India’s strength,” he said, referring to GDP growth rate for April-June quarter.
“We all know that those responsible for pushing India into the  ‘fragile five’ cannot digest the numbers of India’s growth,” he said in a veiled attack at the Congress and its allies that have questioned the credibility of the growth figures.
The prime minister said in the past six years, the country has faced many challenges, be it COVID or the conflicts in West Asia, and every time, it was said that PM Modi would not be able to survive these challenges.
“But India has such immense capability that the wishes of those who want to see India fail are repeatedly being left unfulfilled,” he said.
Referring to his 2013 visit to SRCC, just before becoming the prime minister of India, Modi said that 13 years ago, the seniors of the present generation of students could not dream of doing many things, but today, the current generation is dreaming big because India has created the ecosystem to achieve those dreams.
“I am happy that you are all ambitious. Ambition comes from the environment around you. Today, you talk about start-ups, becoming entrepreneurs and bringing innovation to agriculture,” he said.
Outside the campus, the prime minister said, the students will find two types of people–“those who positively transform the power of society into the power of the nation and the others who turn into angry uncles (naraz fufa) as soon as any work begins”.
He said such “negative people’s favourite activity is to oppose every task and they have just one dialogue – ‘What is the need for this’ “.
The prime minister said in 2013, when he talked about ‘Make in India’, people in that ecosystem thought it was not possible, and they still mock ‘Make in India’.
“But now, you are witnessing the brand value of Make in India. Today, every person has a smartphone. Made in India smartphones are reaching every corner of the world. In 2014, India used to import mobile phones. Today, India is exporting mobile phones worth more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore,” he said.
Modi said India will have its own space station, and everyone will witness that day too.
“When India one day hosts such Olympics that the world will be left in awe. These are not mere words; these are resolutions, and work is underway in the country to turn these resolutions into reality,” he said.
The prime minister said that earlier most things for India’s armed forces were bought from abroad, but he worked with the country’s armed forces to make a plan, prepared a list of items and told Indian companies to manufacture all of them.
“Today, the country’s defence manufacturing is at an all-time high. Today, India is producing defence goods worth nearly two lakh crore rupees. In 2013-14, we used to do defence exports worth 600-700 crore rupees; today, this figure has reached nearly Rs 40,000 crore rupees,” he said.
Lauding SRCC for shaping generations, PM referred to college alumni as “OG”, striking a chord with Gen Z.
“When a human being lives for 100 years, they are considered a person of deep knowledge and great experience. When an institution completes 100 years, it becomes an ocean of achievements. SRCC has shaped generations and connected them to a brighter future.
“In its 100-year journey, Shri Ram College of Commerce has shaped generations, connecting them to a bright future. Those who came, they studied; those who left, they left sculpted. SRCC alumni have been very special. In your language, they are OGs,” he said. The prime minister also released a commemorative Rs 100 coin to mark the centenary celebration.
Modi’s visit to the SRCC comes amid the BJP’s ongoing outreach to the young generation. In April this year, the prime minister met the governing body and a delegation from the college at his residence to mark the institution’s 100th anniversary. He also released a special commemorative postage stamp on the occasion.
