Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the last five years saw ‘reform, perform and transform’ in the country simultaneously.
Thanking everyone, especially Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, on the last sitting of the 17th Lok Sabha, PM Modi said in the last five years, this Lok Sabha faced the challenge of Covid and adopted a new way of working. The MPs did not dither to reduce their salary by 30%, and the subsidy from canteen food was also stopped saving the MPs from public ridicule, PM Modi said. On shifting the sittings to the new Parliament building, PM Modi remembered the establishment of the Sengol in the new building.
“During this Lok Sabha’s term, several decisions for which many generations waited for long were taken. Article 370 was also abrogated during this Lok Sabha’s term… I feel that those who drafted the Constitution would bless us for this,” PM Modi said adding that decisions for which many generations waited for long were taken by the 17th Lok Sabha.
On minimum government and maximum governance, PM Modi said the government should stay away from the lives of the people and show trust in people.
As PM Modi recounted the milestones that the 17th Lok Sabha has been part of, the prime minister mentioned the scrapping of Article 370, and the passage of the triple talaq bill. PM Modi said that the new Parliament building started its journey with the women’s reservation bill. “The coming 25 years are very crucial for the country. On one hand, there are political aspirations, on the other there are dreams for the country,” PM Modi said adding that India will be ‘Vikshit Bharat’ in the next 25 years.
“Election is not far. Some people might be a little tense but this is an aspect of democracy and we accept that. The election is a pride of our democracy,” PM Modi said.