In a statesman-like speech, PM Modi reaches out to minorities

Two days after he received a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi was on Saturday appointed Prime Minister for a second term as he reached out to minorities and gave a new slogan of 'Sabka Vishwas' (trust of all).

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Modi as the Prime Minister again after he was elected leader of the NDA parliamentary party and a delegation of the coalition headed by BJP chief Amit Shah handed over the letter of support from all parties in this regard.

The president asked Modi to convey the names of the members of his new council of ministers and the date for swearing-in.

"Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India," tweeted Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The President requested Narendra Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan," read another tweet from President's office.

Thanking all the NDA leaders for choosing him as the leader of the coalition, Modi said the nation has given a massive mandate and the government would work to meet the people's aspirations.

"We will make all efforts to fulfil people's dreams and live up to people's expectations," he told reporters. 

"On the President's invitation, I have come to meet him. The President has given me the letter appointing me as Prime Minister and has asked me about the future course of action regarding ministerial posts. As soon as possible I will inform him about the same," he said.

"The country has given us a massive mandate. With this, there are also public expectations. Our government is committed to the development of a new India, especially when the country is going to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Every countryman should take an oath for the country and society on this occasion. This is the period of Mahatma's Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and also of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary," he said.

"Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas" is a mantra which shows the perfect way for the development of all segments of Indian society. We have to also move forward with commitment towards the security of all and prosperity of the nation," said Modi.

Earlier addressing the newly-elected members of Parliament belonging to BJP and other allies in the NDA in the Central Hall of Parliament after his election as leader, Modi sought to reach out to minorities saying there will be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, sect and religion and gave a new slogan of "trust of all".

He said his government would work for 130 crore people, including those who voted for the NDA and those who did not vote for his party and the coalition.

In a 90-minute speech heard with rapt attention which encompassed the work during his first term and the goals for the next term, Modi said that his government would move forward on its attack against poverty. 

In an attempt to reach out to minorities, Modi said political parties in the past played deceit on minorities who were used for vote bank politics.

"They were kept in illusion, the climate of fear and insecurity. They were misled by deceit. It would have been better if they were given education so that some good leaders emerged from the community, which could have become equal to other sections.

"But for the sake of vote bank politics, they were kept away from everything. Today I appeal to all that we have to break that deceit on minorities. We have to gain their trust. We have to move shoulder to shoulder without discriminating on the basis of caste, sect and religion. We are for 130 crore people. These should be our priorities and responsibility. 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur ab Sabka Vishwas (Everyone's support, everyone's development and now everyone's trust). This is our mantra. I will leave no stone unturned and I will work for all citizens of India," he said.

In a veiled attack on previous governments, he said poverty had always been a matter of political debate in the country. "It was a fashion. During the last five years, we have broken the back of poverty, we reached closer to the poor people and empowered them. We fought against poverty to get rid of it. We will move forward."

In an apparent reference to Hindu-Muslim unity, Modi recalled the sepoy mutiny of 1857 and how the country was united in the fight against the British for independence. He also said his government would go by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Ram Manohar Lohia and BR Ambedkar.

Calling the journey of 2019 Lok Sabha elections a "teerth yatra" (pilgrimage) for him, Modi said the coalition is going to begin a new journey for taking India ahead.

Before addressing at the NDA parliamentary the meeting, Modi touched and bowed before the Constitution placed at the Central Hall of Parliament. 

"I convey my heartfelt gratitude to you all. The BJP chose me unanimously as the leader of the parliamentary party and all the NDA parties supported it and I am thankful for it. We are beginning a new journey," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said India is now an aspirational society and the 21st century belongs to India.

"I said that we are not contesting elections, people of the country are. I have seen many elections in my life but the 2019 election for me was a 'teerth yatra' (pilgrimage). It was not political campaigning," he said.

Modi maintained that the 2019 general elections were pro-incumbency which gave birth to trust, adding that this election has become a movement of social unity.

"These elections were pro-incumbency. This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and government but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust... 2019 elections become a movement of social unity," he said.

With a hope of gaining the trust of those who did not vote for the BJP, Modi said, "We are here for those who trusted us today. We are here for those too whose trust we are yet to win."

Remembering former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said, "Vajpayee ji is the one who made this coalition successful and took this forward positively. His (Vajpayee) image present in the Central Hall is blessing all of us. NDA has become a trustworthy campaign." 

In his speech, Amit Shah hailed the Lok Sabha election results as a testimony of people choosing politics of performance over politics of 'dynasty, casteism and appeasement'.

"After the sixties, democracy in this country was under the grip of dynasty politics, casteism and appeasement. It is for the first time in 2019 that the country has pushed these things out of politics and has reposed faith in politics of performance," he said.

Shah thanked all the allies and the MPs for unanimously choosing Modi as prime minister again and said, "This euphoric mandate is massive and historic. After 1971, for the first time, a Prime Minister is returning to the post with an even bigger majority after completing a first five-year term."

He also asserted that Narendra Modi becoming the prime minister of the country exemplified the spirit of the constitution.

"After Modi became Prime Minister, the poorest of Indian felt that the spirit of the Constitution can turn into reality and a person from poor background become Prime Minister. It was a Narendra Modi experiment when people wanted him to replicate the development model of Gujarat in the whole country. This experiment of people has been successful."

Shah outlined various people-centric initiatives of the NDA governments first term and said, "The 50 crore poor who were looking for their place in the country's system were previously not able to find it. In the five years, Narendra Modi has uplifted the 22 crores poor of the country and it is their blessing which has come as this historic mandate."

He also talked about the surgical strikes, while criticising those who questioned it the first time.

"When the first surgical strike happened, people felt that a government has come which can answer the country's enemies inside their homes. Initially, the defence pundits of the country called surgical strike as a fluke but after Pulwama attack, the air force personnel's took the revenge through air-strike", said Shah.

Shah also said that it is people's expectation to see India emerge as a world power and hopefully same will happen in the second term of the Modi led NDA government.

Earlier during the NDA meeting, Narendra Modi was elected as the leader of the NDA.

He was greeted by SAD's Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari after being elected as the leader of NDA and BJP at the NDA meeting.

Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. In the official count, the BJP has secured 303 seats, 22 more than in 2014 elections.