Gandhinagar was abuzz with patriotic fervor as the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, came to the city on the second day of his Gujarat visit, after the Indian Army's prompt and powerful reaction to the recent terror strike in Pahalgam.
This marked Modi’s first visit to the state after the success of Operation Sindoor. He was warmly received by enthusiastic crowds during a roadshow in Gandhinagar before inaugurating and laying foundation stones for various development projects totaling Rs 5,536 crore at the Mahatma Mandir.
Speaking to a huge crowd on the 20th anniversary of Gujarat Urban Development, the Prime Minister was unequivocal in his commitment to national security. "This time, the evidence is being provided by the skies above," he said, clearly referring to opposition leaders who have, at earlier times, asked for proof of military action. "There is no need to provide evidence this time," he added, making a clear reference to opposition leaders who have done this in the past.
PM Modi termed the scenes he observed in different parts of Gujarat — in Vadodara, Dahod, Bhuj, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar — as being red with vermilion and waving Indian flags, as manifestations of the people's deep patriotism. He underlined that this feeling is not limited to Gujarat and pervades the entire country.
Employing a strong analogy, Modi explained, "No matter how strong the body is, if one thorn pierces it, the entire body gets agitated. We have made up our minds to uproot that thorn," meaning the danger of terrorism and India's firm commitment to rooting it out.
On the development side, the Prime Minister dedicated over 22,000 residential units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, priced at Rs 1,006 crore. He also dedicated a biodiversity park developed by converting wasteland on the Kankara-Khadi bank in Surat, constructed at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
Urban development schemes amounting to Rs 1,447 crore were launched in cities such as Jamnagar, Surat, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Junagadh. Ground was broken for projects amounting to Rs 1,347 crore, including the Rs 1,000 crore Phase 3 of the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.
The Prime Minister's schedule also included the foundation laying and inauguration of projects under the Health and Revenue Departments amounting to Rs 672 crore. One highlight was the inauguration of new facilities at the U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research, a major boost to Gujarat's health infrastructure.
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