Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that his government “brought down the wall of Article 370” to strengthen national unity, saying the ideological groundwork for the decision had been laid decades ago by Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee. He said India cannot have two flags and two constitutions, and that the country is bound by a single thread of unity.
PM inaugurates Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Delhi
The Prime Minister was addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in the Vasant Kunj area on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The memorial has been developed as a national space to honour prominent personalities of independent India associated with the ideological journey of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi said the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal symbolises an ideology that showed the nation the path of self-respect and service. He noted that the land where the memorial stands had remained a garbage dump for decades and congratulated all those involved in transforming it into a national landmark.
Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, Modi said the BJP takes pride in carrying forward the ideas of Syama Prasad Mukherjee and implementing them. He said the decision strengthened national integration and ended long-standing anomalies in the constitutional framework.
Made in India defence strength highlighted
Highlighting India’s growing manufacturing and defence capabilities, the Prime Minister said Made in India products are now reaching markets across the world. He referred to the defence corridor being developed in Uttar Pradesh and said India’s military strength has been significantly enhanced. Citing Operation Sindoor, he said the world witnessed the power of the BrahMos missile, which is now being manufactured in Lucknow, describing it as a symbol of India’s technological and industrial progress.
Targeting the opposition, Modi accused earlier governments of promoting family-centric politics, alleging that major development works, roads and public spaces were routinely named after members of a single family. He said the BJP freed the country from such politics and ensured recognition for national heroes, pointing out that statues of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose are now being installed across the country, something he said did not happen during Congress rule.
Congress, SP accused of sidelining Ambedkar
The Prime Minister also accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of sidelining Dr B R Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution. He alleged that a powerful family in Delhi avoided acknowledging Ambedkar to protect its own prominence and that a similar approach was followed by the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.
“No one can forget that attempts were made to erase Ambedkar’s legacy. The royal family of Delhi tried to erase it. The Samajwadi Party also did the same here, but the BJP did not allow it to be erased,” Modi said.
On welfare initiatives, Modi said access to banking and insurance was earlier limited to a few sections of society. He said more than 25 crore poor people are now covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, while around 55 crore people are enrolled under accident insurance schemes. According to him, nearly Rs 25,000 crore has been disbursed to beneficiary families under these programmes.
Speaking on infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said nearly eight lakh kilometres of rural roads have been constructed since 2000, with about four lakh kilometres built in the last ten years alone. He said expressway projects are underway across the country and Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a leading state in expressway construction.
Vajpayee’s legacy and metro expansion recalled
Recalling Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s contribution, Modi said it was Vajpayee who initiated the Delhi Metro project, adding that metro networks are now easing daily life in several cities, including in Uttar Pradesh where projects are progressing rapidly.
“I am fortunate to be a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh. The hardworking people of Uttar Pradesh are writing a new future. Today, Uttar Pradesh is being discussed for its development,” Modi said. He added that the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham have given the state a new global identity, while projects like the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal are further strengthening its image as a centre of culture and development.
The Rashtriya Prerna Sthal features 65-foot-tall statues of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, each weighing around 42 tonnes. Spread over 65 acres, the memorial has been built at a cost of Rs 220 crore.
