"First millennials taught Congress a lesson, and now the Gen Z is also ready": PM Modi

Addressing the News18 Rising Bharat Summit here, PM Modi also attacked the Trinamool Congress government in Bengal and the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu, alleging that they had blocked some welfare-oriented schemes of the central government.

He launched a hard-hitting attack on Congress over IYC's "shirtless protest" during the AI Summit and said the opposition party "not only took off its clothes in front of foreign guests, but also exposed its ideological bankruptcy". He alleged that it has become "merely a toolkit for opposition in the name of ideology".

PM Modi alleged that Congress and its allies "have never worked with good intentions".

"They have no concern for the suffering and pain of the poor. For example, the Ayushman Bharat scheme has not been implemented in Bengal to date," he alleged.

"Under the PM Awas Yojana, permanent houses are being built for the poor across the country. Nearly 950,000 permanent houses have been allotted to poor families in Tamil Nadu. But the construction of 300,000 of these houses has been stalled. Why? Because the DMK government is not showing any interest in building these houses for the poor. What is the reason for this? It is because of intentions?" he asked.

West Bengal and Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in the first half of this year. Trinamool Congress and DMK are part of the INDIA alliance along with Congress.

He said that as people were angry at the protest by the Indian Youth Congress, the Congress sought to invoke Mahatma Gandhi.

"The AI Summit was a moment of pride for all of India. But unfortunately, the country's oldest party attempted to tarnish this national celebration. Congress not only took off its clothes in front of foreign guests, but also exposed its ideological bankruptcy. Clearly, this action has angered the nation. Therefore, they invoked Mahatma Gandhi to justify their sins," he said.

"Congress does this every time. When it needs to hide its sins, it invokes Bapu, and when it needs to glorify itself, it gives all the credit to one family," he alleged.

PM Modi alleged that Congress has now become merely a toolkit for opposition in the name of ideology.

"Congress's votes aren't being stolen, but rather, the people of the country no longer consider Congress worthy of voting. And this began after 1984. In 1984, Congress received 99 per cent of the vote and over 400 seats. In subsequent elections, Congress's vote share steadily declined, and today, Congress's plight is such that only four states in the country have more than 50 MLAs," he said.

"First, the millennials taught Congress a lesson, and now Gen Z is also ready. Today, when we talk about a developed India by 2047, some people ask, 'Why are you talking about such a distant future?' Some even say, 'Modi won't be alive by then.' The truth is that nation-building is never done through short-term thinking. It is done through a larger vision, patience, and timely decisions," he added.

PM Modi said that in a democracy, opposition does not mean mere opposing anything blindly but presenting an alternative vision.

"Whatever good the country does, whatever auspicious work is done for the country, the Congress has to oppose it. I have a long list. They opposed the construction of the new Parliament building. They opposed the lions on the Ashoka Pillar atop the Parliament. Their lions were running away after being hit by the shoes of common people (during AI summit protest)...For every success of the country, only one thing comes out of the Congress toolkit: opposition...In a democracy, opposition does not mean just blind opposition. In a democracy, an alternative opposition means an alternative viewpoint. That is why the people of the country are teaching the Congress a lesson..."

He said India spends over Rs 6 lakh crore annually on freight transported by foreign ships, Rs 2.25 lakh crore are spent annually on fertiliser imports and Rs 11 lakh crore rupees are spent annually on petroleum imports.

"This means that lakhs of crores of rupees are flowing out of the country every year. If this investment had been made 20 or 25 years ago towards self-reliance, this capital today would be strengthening India's infrastructure, research, industry, farmers, and youth. Today, our government is working with this same vision. To avoid paying 6 lakh crore rupees to foreign ships, India is strengthening its shipping and port infrastructure," he said.

"New plants are being set up to increase domestic fertiliser production. Nano urea is being promoted. To reduce dependence on petroleum, ethanol blending, the Green Hydrogen Mission, solar, and electric mobility are being prioritized," he added.

PM Modi said his government is laying thrust on giving a boost to manufacturing.

"If we manufacture products in India, the coming generation will not speak of imports, but of exports. A nation's progress is not measured by today's convenience, but by preparation for tomorrow," he said.

"Hard work guided by foresight is the foundation of an Atmanirbhar, empowered and prosperous Bharat by 2047. For this, no matter how much Congress tears its clothes in protest, we will continue to work relentlessly," he added.

The Prime Minister also said that his government is making India a growth engine of the world and noted that developed nations are eager to sign trade deals with India because a confident country "is rising beyond doubt and despair".

PM Modi highlighted India's journey over the last 11 years and spoke extensively on reclaiming national potential, economic self-reliance, and the roadmap for a developed India by 2047.

"Our scriptures say,'Tat Tvam Asi', meaning the Divinity we seek is within us. We must recognize the potential that lies inside. In the last 11 years, India has recognized that very strength and is making constant efforts to empower it."

The Prime Minister noted that the potential is not born suddenly in a country; it is built over generations.

He said that in the last 11 years, a new energy has flowed into the national consciousness as India actively reclaims its lost potential. He noted that the nation is refocusing on manufacturing, improving product quality, and strengthening economic policy to build a robust foundation. "By strengthening the banking system and successfully controlling double-digit inflation, the government has effectively turned India into the world's growth engine.

Prime Minister Modi discussed India's leadership in Digital Public Infrastructure, mentioning the 'Trinity' of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile about which heads of government are often eager to hear. He cited the success of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), through which Rs 24 trillion has been sent to beneficiaries without leakages. He emphasised that the country has become a top solar power nation from an earlier era where 30 million families lacked electricity and the railway system has become the world's third largest metro network during the era of Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat.

On Artificial Intelligence, he said that in previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers.

"But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and is shaping them. Today we have our own AI startup ecosystem and are working rapidly on the power requirements for processing AI data."

PM Modi further added that The AI Summit, attended by over 100 countries was a moment of pride.

The Prime Minister emphasised that investment in self-reliance today is essential for future generations. "Today, we are building a semiconductor ecosystem and prioritizing green hydrogen, solar energy, and ethanol blending, investment in defence production, mobile manufacturing, drones technology, critical mineral infrastructure to ensure economic security for decades to come," he said

The Prime mentioned that Rs 28 lakh crore has been provided in agricultural loans, four times more than earlier periods.

He highlighted that over Rs. 4 lakh Crore deposited directly into farmer's accounts through PM KISAN. "Our country is becoming amongst the leading agriculture exporting nations owing to these reforms," he said.

"I have said from the Red Fort--this is the time, the right time. This is the time to take India to new heights. Let every individual aim for excellence... we should not just do routine work, we should do world-class work," he added. (ANI)