Duty should be the only mantra, says Indian PM
INDIA: Economic downturn, a killer Covid wave, massacre of farmers, attacks on minorities, Chinese incursions, job loss, unprecedented price rise, and targeting of those critical of the government: the jury is out on how the Prime Minister has discharged his duties in addressing the multiple problems blighting the nation, most of which he has met in public with silence.
On Wednesday, however, Narendra Modi stressed on the supremacy of duty towards the nation over everything else. “Kartavya, kartavya, kartavya hi kartavya,” the Prime Minister told elected representatives, extolling the virtues of duty and laying out the path for the next 25 years to speed up the country’s development.
Modi has christened the next 25 years leading up to the centenary year of Independence as “amrit kaal”, presumably a golden period, and has been repeatedly drawing attention to it to sharpen his nationalist agenda. Such an agenda has in the past few years often crossed over into the realms of vigilantism and targeting of those critical of the establishment.
In his inaugural address to the 82nd Presiding Officers’ Conference, attended by the Speakers of the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, the Prime Minister said the goals set for the next 25 years could be achieved if the mantra of “kartavya” or duty was followed by one and all.
“Can’t we with full strength, devotion and responsibility realise one mantra?” Modi asked, addressing the conference in Shimla virtually from Delhi. “In my view that mantra is kartavya,” he said, chanting: “Kartavya, kartavya, kartavya hi kartavya.”
The Prime Minister said that for the next 25 years the supremacy of “duty” should be reflected in every action of Parliament and state legislatures and that in turn would send out a message to the people across the country.
“In discussions and debates in the House, the focus should be on duty. Duty should be reflected in decisions made by the House. Duty should figure in every debate,” Modi said. “For the next 25 years, in the working style of the Houses, the supremacy of duty should be evident,” he added.
– The Hindu