This Indeed is India's Century

A N Kaul Sahib

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to America was path-breaking and established yet another luminous milestone in India’s growing stature in the world. It undoubtedly made an unprecedented impact insofar as Mr. Modi is emerging as a decisive leader who is pushing changes and reforms with firm determination. This was his second visit to US and first to Silicon Valley, where he interacted with and impressed the intellectual giants, has been widely acknowledged as a tremendous success. Global leaders have come to regard the Indian Prime Minister as a well-informed techno savvy head of state and a brilliant leader abreast with the fast changing times.

When Mr. Modi took the initiative to host the G4 Summit on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York, he made a determined bid for India’s permanent seat in the UN Security Council and for long overdue reforms within the world body, which was supported by the other G4 heads of state. It is significant that India’s leadership role in this initiative indicated a moment of transformation in the country’s foreign policy. At the ecstatic Indian-American gathering in the Silicon Valley later, Mr. Modi applauded the huge gathering of Indian technocrats for their contribution to transforming India’s image to the extent that the world has finally begun to accept that the 21s' Century indeed belongs to India. The Prime Ministertouched a wide range of issues, identifying terrorism and global warming as major challenges of our times. Referring to the menace of terrorismwhich has been haunting mankind, he castigated the United Nations for its inability even to agree on a definition of terrorism, and asked how long will it take to actually fight terrorism. “Terrorism is terrorism and India has been reeling under its impact for the last four decades' ', he added and urged the United Nations to resolve the terrorism definition issue at least in this 70th anniversary year. We cannot guard humanity if we cannot reach an agreement on what constitutes terrorism.

During this visit, elaborately laid out his vision to transform India with his “Make in India”, “Digital India” and “Design in India” initiatives and observed that his government “attacked poverty by using power of networks and mobile phones”. Mr. Modi’s emphasis on “building I-ways was as important as building highways' ', got instant support from biggies like Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Qualcomm, Adobe and Apple.

Complimenting the Indian I.T professionals on their expertise and professionalism, Mr. Modi observed: “your fingers have created magic on the keyboard and the computer and this gives India a new identity. Your skill and commitment is wonderful and your innovations are compelling the world to change”.

While this is the image of the resilient and resurgent India embarking on the path of high economic growth and seeking its rightful place in the comity of nations, it is sad that back home some vicious elements and fringe groups of various hues and colours belonging to different political and religious outfits, are of late out to tear apart the secular, progressive and beautiful mosaic of India through their irresponsible and provocative activities and statements bordering on dividing the country on religious, communal and casteist lines, mainly for vote bank politics. People of India must be wary of their nefarious designs to vitiate the traditional communal harmony and brotherhood and prevent the country’s image from getting tarnished.

In this context, the issuance of an advisory by the Union Home Ministry on October 5 to State governments stating that “there should be zero tolerance for any attempt to weaken the secular fabric of the nation and exploiting religious emotions or sentiments”, is a welcome step. The Home Ministry has called on the States to “take strictest action as per law against such elements without any exception whatsoever.” The Home Ministry said it was concerned over various incidents with communal overtones across the country, including the recent “unfortunate” incident at Dadri in UP.

In conclusion, it is pertinent to share what a wise man has rightly said: “Hate Screeches, Fear Squeals,Conceit Trumpets - But Love Sings Lullabies”.

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Courtesy:- A. N. Kaul Sahib and 2015 October, Naad