NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday equated the previous Congress-led UPA government with outdated mobile phones. Launching a fresh broadside against then Congress after inaugurating the India Mobile Congress, the PM said 2014 was not merely as a date, but the beginning of a broader ‘badlav’ (change) and that ‘badlav’ has been bringing a notable transformation across the country’s political as well developmental landscapes.
“Do you remember the mobile phones of 10-12 years ago? The screens of those outdated phones used to hang every now and then. No matter how much you swiped the screen or pushed the button, there happened to be no effect. And, similar was the situation of the government at that time.” In an apparent reference to Congress-led UPA government, the PM said, “But in 2014, people abandoned such outdated phones and gave us an opportunity to serve them. What happened due to this change is now clearly visible.”
Touching upon the telecom industry, he said India was importing mobile phones earlier, but now it has become the exporters. The then government lacked vision and country’s position in the mobile manufacturing in the world was almost negligible, the PM said. “Today, as the second latest mobile manufacturer, we are exporting about `2 lakh crore in electronic goods,” he claimed, adding that firms like the Apple and Google are becoming manufacturers in India.
Taking a dig at UPA again, Modi said, “Everyone knows what happened during the 2G. During our government, 4G was expanded but there was no stain on us. Now, we are confident that India will lead the world in 6G technology.” Later in the day, speaking at Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot, Modi said that the Ram temple in Ayodhya will soon be a dream come true.
He also said that Sanskrit is not only the language of traditions, but also of India’s progress and identity. “Jagadguru Rambhadracharya ji has played a big role in fulfilling one of the dreams of every countryman, the Ram temple, for which you have contributed so much in and outside the court,” he said.