New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) In the last few months of his tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended 200 programs, political as well as official, held across 27 states and union territories, “touching base with almost every Indian” in 125 days, according to his website.
It said there is no part of the country that he did not visit during the 125 days between December 25 and May 1 as he crisscrossed from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Jamnagar to Silchar, while speaking to students to scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs, foreign heads of state and political workers.
“These numbers speak for themselves. They also offer a unique glimpse into the working style and multi-tasking abilities of Modi. Through these programs, he would have touched base with almost every Indian in 125 days,” it said.
In this period, Modi made promises and worked at their swift delivery, the website said, referring to flagship welfare programs, ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ and ‘Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana’.
The former provides monetary support of Rs 6000 per annum to farmers and the latter assures a monthly pension to the unorganized sector.
The prime minister also dealt with the Pulwama terror attack with “courage and statesmanship” as the Indian Air Force launched air strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan which put the neighboring country “on the defensive”.
“Modi’s proactive foreign policy has diminished the stature and voice of Pakistan at the world stage. On May 1, Masood Azhar was declared a terrorist by the UN, thanks to the support from a large number of nations,” it noted.
The website also said he became the first prime minister in years to visit the Kumbh Mela and take a dip in Sangam, besides attending a puja ceremony.
“This visit indicated the prime minister’s pride towards India’s rich culture and the desire to draw more youngsters towards our rich ethos. In the last few months, Modi visited several such centres closely associated with India’s history and culture,” it added.
The prime minister also visited Port Blair to pay tributes to Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar and several others at the iconic Cellular Jail.
Noting that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has always been an influence on Modir, it said that he unfurled the Tricolor to mark the 75th anniversary of the unfurling of the national flag by Bose.
During the 125 days, Modi visited his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi five times and attended wide-ranging programs.
The holy city has seen “unparalleled development work”, especially in local infrastructure, electricity and cleanliness, and one project that stands out is the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project, which aims at improving infrastructure at the Vishwanath temple and will “transform” Varanasi.
In February, Modi addressed a rally of ex-servicemen and dedicated the National War Memorial to the nation.
“It has been 70 long years but nobody thought of a grand National War Memorial as a tribute to our brave hearts martyred in the line of duty. It was Modi who took this decision and in quick time, a grand memorial was ready,” it said.
On March 27, he announced the success of the A-SAT (Anti-Satellite Missile Test), a “landmark moment” in India’s history, as the country joined an exclusive list of nations.
Some of Modi’s programs stand out for their human nature, it said, adding that few can forget him washing the feet of sanitation workers during the Kumbh.
During the period, he also addressed town-halls, attended roadshows, including one in Varanasi before filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha polls, and spoke at political programs. He also spoke twice during the Budget Session, the last of the 16th Lok Sabha.
“The rigorous schedule brings with it long flights, chopper journeys and days that begin early as well as end late. However, it is the joy of being among people, engaging with them that keeps Modi going,” it said.
India Tribune, as an English weekly newspaper, was launched in 1977 in Chicago by its publisher Prashant Shah with a lofty ideal to serve the Asian Indian community in the USA. Over the years, it has grown with all vigor, and now it is being published in three editions – Chicago, New York and Atlanta. India Tribune, a journal of its kind for the family in the USA, has been a household name for many Indians for over three decades with each issue commanding a readership of over 125,000.
