Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday emphasized self-reliance and said that humanity will not accept defeat from coronavirus. "The only way forward is self-reliance. India's self-reliance addresses concerns about world's happiness and peace", PM Modi said during his address to the nation.
The Prime Minister said that even though the situation in the country is unprecedented, humanity will not accept defeat from the pandemic. "The humankind will not deter. We will have to further firm up our resolve, protect ourselves and march forward," he added.
He said during the challenging time, Indian medicines have come out as a ray of hope. "Due to this step, India is being praised across the world and the Indians feel proud. The world has started believing that India can perform much better."
Besides the dose of motivation and India’s overall progress report for combating the virus, PM Modi also made a bunch of historical references that may have bounced off for some.
Sone Ki Chidiya
History books have often touted as ‘Sone ki chidiya’ or ‘Golden Bird’ before the colonial period. The Indian soil produced spices and herbs and textiles in abundance, which was exchanged with the Romans for gold. The yellow metal was craved by our ancestors, since it was a symbol of status and prosperity, and still is even today. From investments, weddings, to temples, gold is of prominence in India. PM used the reference to encourage citizens that India will see its glorious days if we follow rules amid the ongoing crisis.
Vocal for Local
PM said, “My appeal to all the citizens is to go 'vocal for local'. I request people to buy and endorse local products. We have done this before also with Khadi, and it worked very well.” Khadi movement in India was started by Mahatma Gandhi during the British Era. He promoted it under the ideology of Swadeshi goods so that Indians could be self-reliant and be free from foreign products. PM Modi has urged citizens to follow the same theory and help local vendors secure their position in the market to stabilise the economy in the coming days.
Gujarat Earthquake
What is a PM Modi speech, if it doesn’t mention his home state Gujarat, at least once to set an example? For those who were in their cradles and have no idea when this happened, let us help you. The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on 26 January, India's 52nd Republic Day. The 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed between 13,805 and 20,023 people (including 18 in south-eastern Pakistan), injured another 1,67,000 and destroyed nearly 3,40,000 buildings. PM Modi, who was the Chief Minister back then, rolled out several relief packages and made massive developments to bring back its lost glory.
The above references are a reminder of how far we have progressed and why India needs to keep moving forward despite the pandemic.
In India, there are over 70,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,200 people have succumbed to the viral disease. The PM expressed his condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones to the deadly virus.
