‘We are not reforming, but transforming India’: PM Modi in Myanmar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the Indian community at Yangon's Thuwanna Indoor Stadium which has a capacity to accommodate over 30,000 people. During his 40-minute long speech, Modi focussed on his vision of a 'New India' free of any kind of discrimination.

"We are not merely reforming India but are transforming India. A new India is being built. An India free from poverty, terrorism, corruption, communalism, casteism is being created," PM Modi said at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon.

PM Modi started his speech by saying that he was extremely happy to visit Yangon, which is famous for its history and spirituality. He further said that he makes it a point to interact with the Indian diaspora when he is travelling abroad adding that the community has contributed a lot to the development of wherever they have settled.

He also recalled the history of India's freedom movement saying that this is the same land where Subhash Chandra Bose said his famous words - 'tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi doonga'. While addressing an Indian community event at Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon, PM Modi also said that he was seeing a 'mini-India' in front of him.

The Prime Minister said the BJP-led NDA government has made crucial executive decisions like demonetization, introducing GST and the surgical strike on Pakistan without fear or hesitation.

"We have not shied away from taking decisions that are tough. For us, the nation is bigger than politics," he said.

PM Modi also commended the Indian community in Myanmar for contributing to their adoptive country's development while also keeping in touch with their roots. He assured them the Indian government has taken a number of measures for the diaspora.

He invoked about the 5Bs that is the key base of relations between India and Myanmar. "I read somewhere five Bs are the base of India-Myanmar relations - Buddhism, Business, Bollywood, Bharatnatyam and Burma teak," said the prime minister. However, he also mentioned that one more B, which is the most important, is missing here. "But, I think most important 'B' is missing here and that 'B' is Bharosa (Trust)," PM Modi added further.

On a lighter note, the Prime Minister recounted how he'd read somewhere that five Bs are the base of India-Myanmar relations, namely: Buddhism, Business, Bollywood, Bharatnatyam and Burma teak. He then observed, "the most important 'B' is missing here and that 'B' is 'Bharosa' (Trust)."

The Prime Minister, before his visit that began on Tuesday, had written a personalised e-mail to the Indian community in Myanmar. In the e-mail, the PM said it is "with great delight and enthusiasm" that he would begin his Myanmar visit.

This is Modi's first bilateral visit to Myanmar. He had visited the country in 2014 to attend the ASEAN-India Summit.

OneIndia News