Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra who is on a two-day visit to West Bengal speaks at the innaugration of 150th-anniversary celebrations of Kolkata Port Trust. Earlier, in the day, he also addressed the youth at Belur Math. CM Mamata Banerjee remained absent from the event.
PM Modi also felicitated the two oldest pensioners, Nagina Bhagat and Naresh Chandra Chakraborty of the Kolkata Port Trust.
Addressing the crowd, he said that it was unfortunate for the country that after Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Babasaheb Ambedkar resigned from the government, their suggestions were not implemented as they should have been. PM Modi said that from now on, as a tribute, Kolkata port trust will be known as Syama Prasad Mukherjee port, ANI reported.
Speaking about the significance of the port, he said that port represents industrial, spiritual and self-sufficiency aspirations of India. He said it is our responsiblity to the port a powerful symbol of India. "Today, when the port is celebrating its 150th anniversary, it is our responsibility to make it a powerful symbol of New India," PM Modi said.
He also said that once the West Bengal government allows Ayushman Bharat Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, people here will also get the benefits of these schemes, ANI reported.
Earlier, in the day, PM Modi reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act will not "revoke anyone's citizenship", but rather will "give citizenship".
"After independence, Mahatma Gandhi ji and other big leaders of the time all believed that India should give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan," he said, during an address in West Bengal.
Modi who is on a two-day visit to Kolkata added that while "you (the audience) understood this very clearly, those playing political games purposely refuse to understand".
People are being misled over the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said.
Speaking on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, which is also celebrated as Youth Day, Modi said that although five years ago, "there was disappointment among the youth of the country", that situation has changed now.
"The youth might understand the Citizenship Amendment Act, but those who want to indulge in politics over it will not," he said.
Earlier on Sunday morning, Modi paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary at the Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission.
Modi, who became the first Prime Minister to stay overnight at the Math in neighbouring Howrah district, woke up early on Sunday and visited the temple of Swami Vivekananda to pay respect to the spiritual leader, Mission officials said.
The Prime Minister then visited the main temple building and paid tribute to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, they said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
