New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to corner Pakistan on American soil as he used a public platform with President Donald Trump to shame Islamabad for being a global sponsor of terrorism.
At the ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event in Houston Sunday, Modi said the time has come to launch a decisive battle against the perpetrators and supporters of terrorism. In a thinly-veiled reference to Pakistan in front of Trump, prominent US politicians and nearly 50,000 attendees, Modi said the conspirators of 9/11 and 26/11 were found in the same country, adding that Trump stands firm in the fight against terrorism.
Referring to Pakistan’s campaign against India scrapping Article 370, Modi said: “Those people have a problem who can’t even handle their own country. Be it 9/11 in the US or the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in India, where were the conspirators behind these attacks found? It is high time we fight a decisive battle against the perpetrators and supporters of terrorism.”
“President Trump is standing firmly against this. I want you to give a standing ovation to his resolve as well.”
Also read: Will work to make our countries even more prosperous, Trump says at ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event
‘Everything is fine in multiple Indian languages’
The event was titled ‘Howdy, Modi!’, which is the traditional greeting in the state of Texas—a shortening of ‘how do you do?’. Modi’s response was “everything is fine in India” in numerous Indian languages
He went on to highlight how his government has bid farewell to a number of shortcomings India was known for and added Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir to the list. Giving a glimpse of India’s diversity, he said: “Diversity is unity. This diversity is the core of India’s vibrant democracy.
“We have bid farewell to Article 370. Article 370 had kept people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh away from progress. Terrorists and separatists were using it to their advantage. Now, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have the same rights as every Indian.”
The Prime Minister spent a few minutes explaining how this was achieved as he pointed out both “houses of Parliament debated this for hours, and it was telecast live. Even though we don’t have majority in the upper house, both houses cleared the motion with two-thirds majority. I request you to give a standing ovation to the lawmakers of India”.
Modi’s address also mentioned the 2019 general elections and used the opportunity to present a report card of his government, as he cited all the work done in the first 100 days.
“For the first time in 60 years, a majority government came back to power for a second term with more vote share,” he said, adding that the highest number of women voters voted in this election, and the highest number of women have been elected. “Why did it happen? No, not because of Modi. It happened because of Indians,” he said as the crowd chanted his name.
Also read: How Narendra Modi cracked the Donald Trump code and turned the tide on Kashmir
Impatient for India’s progress
Terming patience as the identity of Indians, Modi said “we are impatient for India’s progress”.
“We are challenging ourselves, we are changing ourselves. India is challenging those who believe nothing can change. In the last five years, Indians have achieved things which no one could have even imagined. We are aiming high, we are achieving higher,” he said.
The PM said India is working towards achieving a $5 trillion economy. “Our government is working on improving infrastructure, investment and export. We are not working on small incremental changes, but on complete solutions. We are realising the impossible,” he said.
Talking about his government’s action against open defecation, Modi said on 2 October, when India celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the country will bid farewell to open defecation.
He also mentioned the recent decision of the government on corporate tax reduction and said it has sent a very strong message to global leaders. “Ease of doing business is important for us. However, ease of living is equally important,” he said, pointing out there was a need to empower people for this.
He said India is challenging the view of some who think nothing can change, and said the country’s biggest mantra is “sabka saath, sabka vishvaas” as he works for 130 crore Indians.
Modi also pointed out how major reforms have taken place in the past few years, including construction of new toilets, providing gas connections, and getting rid of fake beneficiaries.
“In the last five years, 130 crore Indians have achieved things that no one could have even imagined. We are aiming high, we are achieving higher. Today, rural sanitation is at 99 per cent. We have built 11 crore toilets. In just five years, we have given gas connections to 15 crore people,” Modi said.
Also read: Trump attending Howdy Modi event proof of PM’s growing stature – and of Indians in US
Now “Vikas” is replaced with “Vishwas”…. I wish USA reel under recession and the white supremacy Trump through our Non Reliable Indians back to India to enjoy Modi’s “Vikas” back home instead of cheering in comfort of Huston.
Throw
What a day to be a witness and be proud of my Indian heritage to see a PM from India on an equal footing with our
president.India is finally on world stage thanks to a honest hard working PM re-elected by a massive Indian intelligent
electorate.(contrite to self claimed idiotic leftist intellectuals.)
Hopefully we are done with slavery from British and the Italian mafiosa.
?? Thanks to all those not so intectuals (only leftists think themselves as one,shame on them as well those who preferred the corrupt goons) for electing a honest
person and his party to represent them over Italian mafiosa.
So proud to call myself an Indian inspire of the fact leaving the country close to half a century back due
Rajiv Gandhi’s famous saying let the best brains of India go elsewhere (so his family alone reap all the corrupt benefits)
Let all the leftists and the corrupt as well the slaves of Sonia go to hell.
What a proud moment to see and listen to a man who truly cares for Indians.
It was a tremendous show of friendship and solidarity between India ?? and USA ?? . This is inevitable due to convergence of national interests and the very positive role of the Indian American community which has much higher educational and economic achievement than other ethnic groups and immigrants.
Removing the wrinkles in trade issues and having greater economic integration and technological and military / security cooperation are very important.
Pakistan is a minor pest and a nuisance. But India is decisively driving past the Pest. Boosting economic growth and eliminating poverty should be top priorities for the Indian government.
As President Trump said
God Bless India??
God Bless USA ??
Billboards should to go up in US cities showing, “Picture of OBL , living large house as a paki guest next to paki military academy after 911 with pictures of towers , OBL imran, bajwa” asking why spawns of evil paki land are allowed in US?
Periodic reminders to American people about Pakis 911 and OBL nexus, will do more damage to pakis army than anything else in terms of PR.
Personally I, as a professional, don’t like politicians. But this Modi, tagging along Trump, took the US by storm. Never before did a US president looked so overawed by the sheer charisma of an Indian politician. It’s irrelevant whether this event translates into any tangible economic or business benefits for India. But clearly Modi can draw political capital out of it..