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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress for its economic policies in the past, reiterating his call for self-reliance.
He was addressing a large public meeting in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, where he also inaugurated development projects worth over ₹34,200 crore.
PM Modi said India’s progress was delayed due to Congress governments after independence. "India must become Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and stand strong before the world. India has no shortage of potential, but after independence, the Congress ignored all of India's potential," he said.
PM Modi blamed two main policies for holding back India, including the “licence quota raj”, which kept India cut off from the world market, and excessive dependence on imports during globalisation.
He also accused the Congress of massive corruption during the UPA era. "Scams worth thousands, lakhs, and crores were committed. The policies of the Congress governments caused great harm to the country's youth. These policies prevented India's true strength from being revealed," he added.
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'Dependence is our biggest enemy'
PM Modi underlined that India’s biggest challenge is over-reliance on other countries. "Today, India is moving forward with the spirit of 'Vishwabandhu'. Duniya mein koi hamara bada dushman nahi hai. Agar hamara koi dushman hai toh woh hai dusre deshon par hamari nirbharta (We have no major enemy in the world. Our biggest enemy is our dependence on other countries.) This is our biggest enemy, and together we must defeat this enemy of India," he said.
The prime minister stressed that foreign dependence weakens the nation. "The greater the foreign dependence, the greater the country's failure. We cannot leave the future of 1.4 billion countrymen to others," he warned.
He added, "There is only one medicine for a hundred sorrows, and that is a self-reliant India."
During his address, PM Modi also praised the Seva Pakhwada initiative, launched on his birthday (September 17). He said over 100,000 people in Gujarat donated blood and 30,000 health camps were organised in just three days. "Cleanliness drives were undertaken in several cities, and lakhs of people joined. Women's health is at the centre," he added.
₹34,200 crore projects launched in Bhavnagar
At the ‘Samudra se Samriddhi’ event, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth more than ₹34,200 crore.
Key announcements included:
• Maritime projects worth over ₹7,870 crore such as the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, container facilities at Paradip and Kolkata ports, a multi-cargo terminal at Tuna Tekra, and ship repair units at Patna and Varanasi
• Renewable energy and infrastructure projects in Gujarat worth over ₹26,000 crore, including the HPLNG Regasification Terminal, Acrylics & Oxo Alcohol Project, solar initiatives, LNG infrastructure, and hospital expansions in Bhavnagar and Jamnagar.
Calling ports the "backbone of India’s maritime rise", Modi said, "50 years ago, around 40 per cent of the country’s trade was through India-made ships, which has now come down to 5 per cent. We are paying nearly ₹6 trillion every year to foreign firms for shipping. Chips or ships, we must make them in India."
He emphasised that recognising large ships as infrastructure was a historic step to strengthen the maritime sector.
(With agency inputs)
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