Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the unity of people to maintain harmony and to face challenges like violence and disruptions in society.
He said this while speaking at the Christmas event hosted by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) at its headquarters here on Monday, the clips of which he posted on his X handle on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister said the teachings of Jesus Christ celebrate love, harmony, and brotherhood. "We must unite to uphold harmony and confront challenges like violence and disruptions in society," he said.
"When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, India went beyond its own capabilities to help numerous countries. We provided medicines to several countries across the world and sent vaccines to many nations," the PM said.
PM Modi said over the past decade, India has achieved transformative progress in poverty alleviation and economic growth. “We are now empowering the Yuva and Nari Shakti, paving the way for a brighter and more confident future.”
He said that the focus on social welfare and empowerment has brought the best transformation policies to various sectors of India. "Our schemes, like the PM Awas Yojana and Matsya Sampada Yojana, have helped hundreds of people.
PM Modi called for strengthening the spirit of unity embodied in Jesus' teachings and working together to strengthen the values. He also strongly condemned the terror attack a week ago at Germany's Magdeburg Christmas Market in which an SUV went speeding into a crowd of shoppers and killed four women, besides a nine-year-old child, while 205 were injured. The latter include seven Indians.
The Prime Minister emphasized that human interests should be given precedence along with national interests, and India's foreign policy reflects this approach.
He highlighted the humanitarian efforts made by India during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the country helped over 150 nations by providing medicines and vaccines. This approach of human welfare had a positive global impact, with countries like Guyana and several island nations expressing deep gratitude.
He also referred to the evacuation of Indians stranded in war-torn nations, stating that irrespective of where they are or what crisis they face, today's India sees it as its duty to bring its citizens to safety. "We brought back our nurses who got stuck in the Gulf countries.". It was a very satisfying moment for me when we brought Father Alexis Prem Kumar safely from war-torn Afghanistan a decade back. He was stuck there for 8 months and was in hostage… for us, all these missions are not mere diplomatic missions but an emotional commitment to bring back family members," he said.
He was pleased with the appointment of George Koovakad as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, the Prime Minister said.
"It is a moment of pride that His Holiness Pope Francis has made his Eminence George Koovakad a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church," he said.
On the occasion, he reflected on hope as the greatest agent to transform the world and dwelled on achievements made in India in a decade.
PM Modi said that 250 million people have come out of poverty, and the nation's economy has risen from the 10th position to the 5th largest in the world.
He appreciated the country's youth for their energy and zeal and also the empowerment of women in all sectors be it entrepreneurship or the army. He said no nation could move forward without empowering its women.
He spoke of the country's technology foray: "India's mobile and semiconductor manufacturing industries have advanced, and that technology will empower the poor, just as the pace of infrastructure development is quite fast-new expressways are being laid, rural roads, metro routes-and this brings hope to the future for India.
The Prime Minister reemphasized the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding compassion and selfless service. He reiterated the importance of institutions serving society. He appreciated the steps of the government, including PM Awas Yojana, which gives a sense of empowerment to women as it constructs houses in their names, and the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which has resulted in more women's representation in Parliament.
PM Modi concluded by reminding people that a developed India is a collective effort and with such efforts going on through Swachh Bharat and other support given to local artisans, the nation will keep on marching ahead. "A developed India is our shared goal, and together, we will achieve it," he asserted, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a hopeful Jubilee Year.
Read also| PM Modi Denounces Germany Market Attack, Calls for Unity at CBCI Christmas Gathering
