New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he had never thought of contesting any election, as the education and values he had received since childhood taught him that he has been a person "who lives not for ambition, but for a mission".
He said that for him, action is "not merely a responsibility" but "devotion to the country".
Addressing the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha', PM Modi said, "Today is not just a day for memories; it is a day to fill our resolutions with new energy. It is a day to reiterate that promise, to express that determination which says, 'We will do it!'"
He said that from the Red Fort, he spoke about 'Sabka Prayas' and the enthusiasm and determination needed to take India to new heights convey just one message, which he asked the people to repeat after him -- "We will do it! We will do it! Viksit Bharat by 2047 -- we will do it! Top three economy -- we will do it! Atmanirbhar Bharat -- we will do it! Global manufacturing hub -- we will do it! Hosting the Olympics -- we will do it! Taking a step into space -- we will do it!"
The Prime Minister said that people consider the continuous journey of 25 years as the head of government an achievement.
"But how do I look at it? For me, this is not a matter of personal glorification. Twenty-five years ago, at the age of 50, I was serving tribal communities in the forests, spending my life in the mountains, and had chosen the organisational path in the Bharatiya Janata Party. My political report card was that of a worker in the organisation. I had never fought an election before," he said.
PM Modi said that if he had wanted to make a mark in politics, he could have entered the electoral field much earlier; however, that was not his temperament.
"I never thought about what I would become in life or what would happen to me, because the education and values I received since childhood taught me that I have been a person who lives not for ambition, but for a mission," he further said.
"Whatever responsibilities I was given, I continued to fulfil them. The sole purpose of my life was selfless action for the country. For me, action is everything; action is my duty. The Gita has taught us -- 'Karmanyevadhikaraste' -- My right is over my actions, and therefore, I consider action my duty," he added.
"For me, action is not merely a responsibility; it is my devotion to the country," the Prime Minister said.
"The country gave me the opportunity, people gave me their trust, circumstances taught me lessons, which is why I am getting the opportunity for unbroken service to my countrymen," he added.
PM Modi said that "if these 25 years are to be assessed, it should not be based on where I have reached, but on how far my country has reached".
Recalling his tenure as Gujarat CM, PM Modi said that he lived by a mantra: "the development of Gujarat is the development of the country".
"But that period was full of challenges. At that time, I had neither experience in running a government nor much knowledge of the administrative system. What I had was faith in the people, trust in the power of the people, and the experience I had gained from years of work as a social worker," he said.
"I made this faith my strength. I took decisions by taking the people along, formulated policies with the people and implemented them with the people. Taking the people along, I followed the same mantra and said, 'We will do it! We will do it!'" he added.
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