Amaravati, June 10 (IANS) Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu believes that India is safe and secure in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Naidu, who while pitching for Modi as the Prime Minister, had stated that Modi stands for ‘Making of Developed India”, has now rechristened the PM as the “Man of Destiny for India”.

The former BJP leader shared his thoughts through an article published in The Indian Express on Wednesday as PM Modi became the elected PM with the longest continuous tenure – 4,399 days in office, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru’s record.

“I observed PM Narendra Modi’s thought processes and work for a few months after he assumed office in 2014, in order to assess his mission. I then publicly stated that MODI stands for “Making of Developed India”. After these 12 years, I have no hesitation in rechristening MODI as the ‘Man of Destiny for India’. That destiny is Swarnim Bharat. Bharat is safe and secure in his hands. I wish Narendra Damodardas Bharat Modi all the best in his endeavours,” Venkaiah Naidu wrote.

The former union minister observed that PM Modi’s achievement of becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister is significant because it comes in an era of unprecedented political competition, coalition dynamics, 24-hour media scrutiny, and the rise of social media-driven public discourse.

He noted that born to parents of modest means, Modi worked as a tea vendor in Vadnagar, Gujarat, assisting his father. To travel from there to the PM’s office in South Block in the national capital is an extraordinary achievement, he said.

“His was a journey of self-realisation, of understanding Bharat, the people and their problems, envisioning the destiny of our country as ‘Swarnim Bharat’ and striving for the realisation of this vision. His mind was primarily shaped by his early association with the RSS. For most of his life, he quietly went about discharging the duties assigned by the RSS, Jana Sangh, and BJP at various levels. In the process, he acquired immense organisational abilities, clarity of thought, courage to dream of India’s destiny and the ability to rise to the occasion when the call of duty knocked at his door.”

Venkaiah Naidu noted that Modi’s 12-year, unbroken tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat was eventful in several ways. “The Gujarat model that emerged during his tenure captured the imagination of the people of the country. The people of Bharat yearned for a leader who could deliver. They found such a leader in Modi,” said Naidu, who feels glad to have been one of the senior leaders of the BJP who strongly pitched for Modi as PM.

“PM Modi believes that Bharat’s transformation can’t be realised without the people’s participation. Swachh Bharat was made into a people’s movement with the construction of over 12 crore individual household toilets; over 4 crore houses were built for the poor; over 57 crore bank accounts opened under JAM; Rs.45 lakh crore transferred to beneficiaries under DBT; LPG connection for over 10 crore women toiling in kitchens inhaling smoke. Over 24,000 crore digital transactions through UPI made our country the global leader in real-time digital payments; 80 crore people got food support during Covid-19 pandemic and continue to get it.”

According to Venkaiah Naidu, PM Modi pioneered human resources development with a massive expansion in educational and health institutions. IITs, IIMs and AIIMS have increased manifold across the country, while Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest publicly funded health programme.

“PM Modi does not believe in stereotypes. Appeasement is not the right option. The abrogation of Article 370, abolition of triple talaq, introduction of GST reforms against much opposition, 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies are clear pointers,” he added.

The former Vice President is also of the view that Modi has left an indelible impression on internal and national security. “Left-wing extremism is almost wiped out. Surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor taught effective lessons to those casting an evil eye on us. Our foreign policy is no different. PM Modi made it clear that it will only be aligned with national interest and not individual countries. The voice of Bharat now matters at all global dialogue tables.”

–IANS

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