Modi addresses NRIs, slams UPA over foreign policy

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the UPA government over its handling of foreign policy, saying the country is being ruled by "weak" leaders.

Asserting that he has given a new meaning to "development" during his 12-year rule in Gujarat, Modi also said the greatest challenge facing India is restoring the "trust" of the people. He also criticized the government on corruption issues.

Modi made these remarks in his hour-long address to the NRI community living in 20 cities across US through video conference on the occasion of Gujarat Day celebrations. The address was followed by a question and answer session.

"I know what damage it can cause when rulers of a country are weak. You should look at the incidents of past one month," he said.

"I am shocked to see, that China withdraws its forces to its territories but I don't understand that why Indian army is pulling back its forces from Indian soil?" he asked.

Against the backdrop of China's incursion in eastern Ladakh last month, Modi said, "I have a simple question to Delhi government that China enters in our land and pulls back, that's one thing. But what are the reasons we have pulled back from our own land? This raises the questions in the minds of common people."

Going further, Modi said, "Can you imagine our soldiers getting beheaded? And after some days Prime Minister of that country being offered chicken biryani here. This raises questions. Questions about China knocking doors at our land." External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid hosted a lunch in Jaipur in March in honour of former Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

The BJP strongman claimed his model in Gujarat has taken development to new heights and that the nation's biggest challenge is lack of trust, absence of confidence and to restore it.

"People ask me about what is the biggest challenge before us at present in our country. I strongly believe that the biggest challenge we are facing is absence of confidence. No one trusts anyone. Country has lost confidence in every institutions which we have been relying upon," he said.

"We have to restore this trust. We have to bring back the confidence in system, process, intentions, policies, moralities. This is the biggest challenge before the country. We need trust in our country. We need trust in leaders, in parties, in policies," he added.