Discussing India’s parliamentary journey of 75 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday recalled the famous speeches of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Modi said the echo of Nehru’s ‘tryst with destiny’ speech to mark India’s independence from colonial rule will continue to inspire us.
“The echo of Pandit (Jawahlal) Nehru’s ‘at the stroke of midnight’ in this Parliament will continue to inspire us. And this is that very Parliament where Atal Ji said ‘sarkaren aayengi, jayengi; partiyan banegi, bigedgi; magar ye desh rahna chahiye’ (governments will come and go; parties will form and dissolvel; but the country should remain),” Prime Minister Modi said in Lok Sabha.
Modi’s speech also witnessed a sombre moment when he remembered the deaths of three former prime ministers while in office.
“When this Parliament lost three serving PMs — Nehru ji, Shastri ji and Indira ji — they were given fitting tribute,” PM Modi said.
“From Nehru to Shastri to Vajpayee, this Parliament has seen several leaders presenting their vision of India.”
India began a rare special session of Parliament on Monday, with Prime Minister Modi promising that the five-day gathering of lawmakers will yield “historic decisions.”
“This session is short but based on the timing, it is very big,” Modi told mediapersons, without elaborating.
The Parliament is discussing its 75 years of journey, including achievements, experiences, memories and learnings.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi said the Parliament session will witness “historic decisions”.
“This session of the Parliament is short but going by the time, it is huge. This is a session of historic decisions. A speciality of this session is that the journey of 75 years is starting from a new destination,” the prime minister said.
“Now, while taking forward the journey from a new place…we have to make the country a developed country by 2047. For this, all the decisions of the time to come will be taken in the new Parliament building,” he added.
