DESCRIBING EMERGENCY rule in 1975 as a “black spot” on the vibrant history of India’s democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that democracy was trampled and suppressed 47 years ago but the people of India responded to it in a democratic way.
Addressing the Indian community in Germany, the Prime Minister said, “Today is June 26 which is also known as the day when India’s democracy, which is in the DNA of every Indian, was trampled and suppressed 47 years ago. Emergency is a black spot on the vibrant history of India’s democracy.”
“The people of India responded to all the conspiracies to crush democracy in a democratic way. We Indians take pride in our democracy wherever we are,” he
“Today, we can proudly say that India is the mother of democracy… The diversity of culture, food, clothes, music and traditions makes our democracy vibrant. India has shown that democracy can deliver and has delivered.”
Highlighting the achievements of his government in the past eight years, the Prime Minister said, “In last century, Germany and other countries benefited from the 3rd Industrial Revolution. India was a colony back then, that is why it could not get the benefits. But now India will not be left behind in the 4th Industrial Revolution, it is now leading the world.”
Modi said that drone technology is being used, which is unprecedented, and then cited several examples — fertilisers are being sprayed using drones, land’s mapping in Indian villages is being made through drones.
“Today’s India has come out of the mindset of ‘It happens, it runs like this’. Today India takes a pledge to ‘have to do’, ‘have to do’ and ‘have to do on time’,” he said.
Modi, who arrived in Munich on Sunday on a two-day visit to Germany, will attend the G7 summit on Monday and discuss issues like energy, food security, counter-terrorism, environment and democracy with the leaders of the powerful grouping and its partner countries.
“An early morning touchdown in Munich… PM @narendramodi will participate in the G-7 Summit..,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Twitter.
