Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in Sydney: Full transcript

Mangalore Today News Network

Sydney, Nov 17, 2014:  On the occasion of the first Indian prime minister to visit Australia in 28 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke for nearly 90 minutes to address a large audience at the Allphones Arena in Sydney.

 

Here is the full transcript of his speech.

1. I like to begin by acknowledging the tradition of this land, and pay my respect to its past and present. My respect to all senior members of the society and community, and my countrymen. This respect, enthusiasm, spirit.. Modi is not deserving of this. 1.25 billion people of India is the real deserver of this. I dedicate this to the children of Mother India.

2. This packed house in Sydney is right now revolutionising the whole of India. What Swami Vivekananda said carried so much foresight. He said this 50 years before Independence of India. For the next fifty years, they should forget their gods and goddesses. It was surprisingly coming from a sanyasi. A spiritual person was saying this. He said, if you want to pray, then pray only for Mother India.

3. Right after 50 years, India became independent. The magic of his words. There are many people here who were born in independent India. Am fortunate to be the first prime minister of India to be born in independent India. I feel my responsibility is much more because of this.

4. We were not fortunate to fight in the freedom struggle. We did not get the chance to spend our lives in jails. There should be some pain within us. We did not die for the country, we could at least live for the nation. Not everyone is fortunate to die for the country, but many are surely fortunate to live for the country.

5. I have come here to assure you in Australia you need not wait for an Indian PM to come and visit you, now after 28 years. Sydney and Australia are beautiful. Neither Australia and India can live without cricket. Cricket has united us. But before that, history and culture has strengthened this unbroken partnership. Both countries are democracies. Our founding leaders have established strong foundations for democracies.

6. God had several hands, but Mother India has 250 crore arms. And someone who has so many arms, majority of which are under 35 in age, has immense capacity. The young are capable of drawing a line on a stone. Swami Vivekananda’s words have come true, I see it here. His second dream was for India to become Vishwa Guru. I am seeing it here, Mother India has actually become Vishwa Guru.  She is represented all over the world through all of you, and you carry immense capacity. This foresight of Swami Vivekananda has come true.

7. Six months of being in the government are nothing, but my experience says, that the country is actually blessed by Mother India. This nation will rise up, it will help the world with its 250 crore hands capability. If you agree with this, then the common voice becomes a divine voice. There’s no reason I think that our country will stay behind. 250 crore hands will work together towards global peace and negate suffering around the world.

8. In 1964, in Tokyo Olympics, Indian-origin Bakhtawar Singh represented Australia. Eric Pierce was born in Jabalpur. Cricketers Sellers, Stuart Clarke were Anglo-Indian. Lisa Sthalekar in women’s cricket scored 1,000 runs. Venkatesh, at the age of 12, created history for Australia in International Physics and Maths Olympiad. Mathei Varghese, a mathematician made name. Actress and Singer Mudalia. Indira Naidu, writer and social worker. Besides them, there are several names who have dedicated their lives to Australian name. This is exactly our strength. Wherever we are, we propagate love, and contribute to communities. My heartfelt congratulations and acknowledgement.

9. During the Lok Sabha elections this year, there was not a single Indian family in the world who was not waiting for the verdict. This passion of who won and who lost, it was not about this. They were thinking when will my country become an ideal one.

10. Many have dreams to do big things, let them dream whatever they want. I have to carry out small deeds, for the underprivileged people to bring up and make them large. Have you ever seen a poor man in the bank? I want a poor person to have an account in the bank. I started PM Jana Dhana Yojana. About 75 million families could benefit from this. I spoke to RBI and asked them, they said - "Modiji, ho to sakta hai, lekin.." But no one dares say no to a PM. They said it will take three years. I said when and what kind of a Sun will rise after three years.

11. On Jana Dhan Yojana, I called officers of PMO. RBI says it will take three years, department says it will take two years to implement. The PMO officials said it will take at least one year. I heard all of them. I announced it on August 15. I said it has to be completed in 150 days. In 68 years, in a year 10 million bank accounts opened. When we decided, in 10 weeks 71 million bank accounts were opened.

12. Look at the honesty of poor people of India. We had asked for a zero balance account. The poor people thought, if Modi has promised something, we too have some responsibility. A sum of Rs.500 crore was deposited in 75 million new bank accounts. Some deposited Rs.100,  some Rs.200, thinking that they joining the mainstream. Do not underestimate the power of our countrymen, they are willing to run ahead of us, all they need is a helping hand. January 26, is the deadline, and the work is still in progress.

13. On October 2, Swachh Bharat was started. Do we come here to litter in Australia? No. The same should apply to towards a cleaner India. So, here’s a prime minister who is personally indulging in getting toilets made. We call the man who picks our garbage as ’kachrawala’,he’s actually safaiwala; we need to change our mindset. There is dignity of labour in Australia. To clean India it may take a while, because even cleaning a home during Diwali takes time. At least we can give Mahatma Gandhi a neat and tidy nation by 2019. A gift to Gandhi on 150th birth anniversary.

14. Our objectives are same, that our youths get employment. For job creation, we are asking the world to come to India and invest. We started Make in India campaign. Good governance is needed, but the CEO of the company will come looking for quality of life.

15. When I was the CM of Gujarat the CEOs came to invest, but they also wanted to play gold. Gujarat knows gilli-danda not golf. I asked private parties to arrange for golf. The investors who come look for quality of life. This is India’s responsibility to provide a good healthcare, facilities, law and order and environment. Through Make in India we aspire towards this. Our railways are an example, passengers are increasing, spaces are the same. Are there no solutions to this?

16. There are so many opportunities in a market of 1.25 crore people. Come and invest in our trains. With the policy changes I am trying to bring, we have to go forward together. With a lot of courage, we opted for 100 percent FDI in railways in India. In other countries, they have rail networks, but no people.

17. The world needs a great workforce. Technology solely cannot do without proper workforce. We are fortunate, to have people in great numbers to cater to the needs of the world. But skilled development is also necessary. The need of workforce across the world has to be mapped and then responded to. There’s a huge demand for nurses, maths and science teachers around the world. Gems and jewellery, potato-tomatoes are not the only things we can export. We need to focus through our HRD to prepare for the needs of the world. This will lead to applauds for India.

18. In this age, territorial conflicts will not decide who wins or loses, but workforce will. The capability of a nation of citizens who are willing to work will decide it. Your dream is my dream. Your wishes and aspirations are mine. I want to see India the same way you want to see India. A nation is because of its citizens. If we give them a chance, without any hindrance, the government should just remove itself perhaps. You needed to attest your mark sheets by an MLA or a gazetted officer. This was happening since the Raj. I removed it. You need to believe and trust your citizens. So, if you get a job, produce the original certificate, case finished. If I did not trust the poor of my nation, they would not have deposited Rs.500 crore in bank accounts.

19. The love you have given to me needs something in return. So, I want to give you some information. I am sure you have some grievances. Embassy does not respond to you. People do not pick phones, answer emails. Modiji came, but nothing happened. There’s so much hopelessness. When I went to the US, in Madison Square, they did not believe me. People before me had come, spoke and went. What I promised in US has been implemented one by one. People who have PIO (People of Indian Origin) cards, they will get life-long visa. PIO and OCI will be one.

20. This year, Ahmedabad will host the NRI Day. In 1915, Mahatma Gandhi as an NRI came to India from South Africa. We will be celebrating the centenary of that event. PIO and OCI, please be assured that before the NRI day, my government will get this work done.


Courtesy: Indiatoday