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Text of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Speech at All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police at Guwahati

Published By : Admin | November 30, 2014 | 10:24 IST

My colleague in the Council of Ministers Shri Rajnath Singh ji, all the honourable Chief Ministers of Northeast, Shri Kiran Rijiju ji and all the officers and leaders of the police force. I heartily congratulate all those who have been honoured today. 

Since the times of Chanakya, we have studied what is vital for nation’s security, more than having advantage of good weaponry; it depends on who has those weapons. But even more important than having weaponry and trained manpower handling those weaponry, is having the best intelligence network; as the success of any nation’s security depends on it. The system that has the best form of intelligence will never require either the weapon holder or weaponry and there definitely won't be any need of use of weapons. If there is any unit that holds utmost importance in terms of nation’s security, it is the intelligence system. I have been privileged enough to honour the officers serving in this arena. I would like to once again congratulate them for their excellent service. 

Everyone is surprised that the tradition of holding this conference in New Delhi since so many years has been discontinued and the ceremony has been shifted from Delhi to Guwahati. But you must have noticed that when you come to Delhi for a meeting, you come there with a lot of work. You feel that since we have come all the way to Delhi, you might as well get with a few other things done like visit the ministry, meet the secretaries. But now you need to concentrate a little on the issues faced by the state. Now the meeting is out of Delhi and hence from the time you have come here, you must have been well acquainted with each other. There is no other activity here, so the entire focus will be on the ongoing activity. And the one to benefit the most would be the people of Northeast, the police force here would be very happy and encouraged and this would also help you understand how big result a minor change can bring about. It is possible that later in life you also take this initiative. This is an auspicious beginning. In the future too we want such events to take place outside Delhi in different states. I am sure Delhi will also get a chance; it is not that Delhi will never host such meets anymore. But when the programme is held in Delhi, there is no role played by the Delhi police. The Indian Government and Vigyan Bhavan are ready with your accommodation, where you stay in your quarters and then leave. This is a change and every system of change needs to have a life. Robotic systems do not work. Systems should be alive and full of life. Systems should encourage and augment the liveliness and this change will lead you in that direction. I am sure you will also adopt similar experiments in your state. 

You have been here since yesterday and there have been talks - some of serious nature and there have been some light conversations. Even I am going to be with you till today afternoon. I want to spend maximum time listening to you. But there are a few things that I want to express today. After our country’s independence, the fact that 33 thousand policemen have sacrificed their lives while protecting the country and safeguarding the comforts of its citizens, is by no means, a minor feat. But does the entire police force know that 33 thousand policemen have sacrificed their lives to protect the country? How would then the common citizens of India know about this fact? I feel it is of prime importance that this sacrifice does not go waste. How can their respect get enhanced in the society? He also must have been someone's son. And he has died in the line of duty and I do not know why we have not shown enough concern towards them. I would want a small taskforce to be formed from amongst you, consisting of some senior and experienced people. We should be able to find out ways to incorporate the positives from the heritage of this sacrifice in a manner such that it is embedded as our inspiration forever. A protocol also has to be set up to honour them during their last rites. Every state has its own police academy where the new recruits are trained. I want to know if their syllabus can include a thorough knowledge comprised in a comprehensive book based on the life of all those who have sacrificed their lives from that region. Every state should have its own book - an official Government Book. Who has sacrificed their life, at what occasion, how did they lose their life in the line of duty, what courage did they show and how many lives they did they save; all should be mentioned in the book. The new generation of police, the new constables who are under training, will learn these things. He will have to read this book too and answer an exam on the same. Through this, he will realise of the martyrdom of those before him who sacrificed their lives. This will then be passed on through the generations. Should we bring out a new edition of the book every year? We can decide now that every state publishes an e-book that mentions the martyrdom of all these 33 thousand martyrs with their photos which can be sourced from their families. It should be in the regional and national language. This will be a small effort but one with huge repercussions in form of the inspiration. I have also noticed that the police department holds a lot of programmes for police welfare. Cine stars are a part of these programmes and performances and plays are also a part of it. It is done in a grand way in Mumbai. During this time, a souvenir is also issued. Advertisement is asked for and funds are collected. I have not gone into the details, nor do I wish to. But can we decide to include a list of those who have sacrificed their lives in that particular year in the souvenir, speaking of their deeds. We shouldn't let their lives go waste in this manner. He may not be physically alive, but for the police force and the society, he should never die. It is our responsibility. I don't want to discuss if something similar has happened in the past but something like this should happen now as I believe it will make a huge difference. 

The other thing is police welfare. I am well aware that the police force leads a life full of stress. He puts his life on the line of fire for his duty. If there is no well-being and happiness in his family, how will they go on duty? No matter how sacrificial and selfless the police officer is, family's discomfort also causes him discomfort. It is the role of the government and all of us to establish a system for the welfare of their families. Everything from them and their family's health check up to their children's education should be taken care of. How are the residential facilities of those in the lower ranks? Someone should pay some heed to this. And it's not as if this is not happening. A good thing now is that our home minister was a successful Chief Minister of one of the biggest states of our country. And hence he knows the nuances of this topic. His guidance will be of a lot of help to us in the coming days. It has also been my privilege that since I was a Chief Minister for quite a long time and held the control of the home department, I am also aware of the way it functions. I am aware of what goes on the ground. And hence it might be a possibility that we are treating this on priority. We want to approach the task of police welfare in a scientific manner and that is the bare minimum we can do. And if we do this, then there will be a huge change. 

Sometimes the movies depict a policeman in a certain grey light and this goes into the minds of common man. I have seen a very few movies that talk about the sacrifice of these policemen and that is the reason such an image of policemen has embedded in the minds of a common man. We should make special efforts. The Indian Government should make a PR Agency of sorts and meet the film producers and make them aware of their deeds. If the opinion-makers of the society won't protect the integrity of the ones who protect our country, then the rot in the system will also not go away. If there is a kid in the family who keeps committing a mistake, we don't reprimand him for every mistake of his and instead try to point out his achievements then he on his own starts focusing on the good and developing on it. There will be limitations, who doesn't have them? But there is a way to overcome these limitations with the help of the society. I want the thought process of the country towards the policemen to change keeping the onground realities in mind. Any negative story about a policeman has a long shelf life in the media but many positive things never even come to the fore. 

When I was in Gujarat, I had conducted an experiment and you too can try it if you find it to be applicable. I don't know what happened after I have left Gujarat. I don't know if they are still following that or not. But I had made a request to every police station to build their own website where they would update their week's best of the best social activities. Whatever the week's positive highlight was, whether they worked towards a social cause or helped a needy and treated them with respect, saved someone from heavy losses… all this would be updated on the website. There are a lot of instances; there is no dearth of such incidents that can be highlighted. Please don't be depressed, there are a lot of good things happening in the country due to you but if you don't bring them out in the open, no one will know about it. We put up a positive story that is absolutely true on the website every week and see the kind of changes it brings in people's perception towards the police. There is no need to be artificial; there are enough positive things to be highlighted. Every person you meet will have at least one positive story to tell about a policeman. But such facts are not collectively presented to the people. I want you to think on this positively and develop a plan of action to take it forward. We will discuss this in detail when we meet. 

I have a concept in my mind - that of SMART police - a SMART police force. How can we work with this vision? When I talk about SMART police I mean S - Strict but also S - Sensitive, police should be Strict yet Sensitive, M – Modern and there should be Mobility, there should be no stagnancy, A - Alert and Accountable, R - Reliable and Responsive, T - Techno savvy and Trained. We have to take these five points and march ahead. I truly believe we can fill the police force with a new life and a renewed sense of consciousness. 

Once again, I would like to thank and congratulate all those whom I have had the privilege of honouring today. In future too, the mighty police force will be successful in serving the citizens, protecting them and most importantly instilling in them a sense of faith. The rest, we will discuss in detail when we meet. 

Best wishes, thank you. 

(The original speech was in Hindi, this is the English rendering. Original speech remains the authoritative version)

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My dear countrymen, Namaskar. 'Mann Ki Baat' means touching upon the collective efforts of the country; referring to the achievements of the country; discussing the strength of the people. 'Mann Ki Baat' means touching upon the dreams of the youth, the aspirations of the citizens of the country. I wait for 'Mann Ki Baat' throughout the month, so that I can communicate with you directly. There are innumerable messages! My earnest endeavour is to read as many messages as possible; to brainstorm on your suggestions.

Friends, today is a very special day - it is NCC Day. As soon as the name of NCC comes up, we remember our school-college days. I myself have been an NCC Cadet, so I can say with full confidence that the experience gained from it is invaluable for me. 'NCC' instills a spirit of discipline, leadership and service in the youth. You must have seen around you that whenever there is a disaster; be it a flood, an earthquake or an accident, NCC cadets unfailingly make themselves available there to help. Today, efforts are being undertaken continuously to strengthen NCC in the country. In 2014, about 14 lakh youth were associated with NCC. Now in 2024, more than 20 lakh youth are associated with NCC.

Compared to earlier times, provision for NCC has been made in five thousand new schools and colleges… and the biggest aspect is that earlier the number of girl cadets in NCC was just around 25% (percent). Now the number of girl cadets in NCC has risen to almost 40% (percent). The campaign to connect more and more youth residing along the border with NCC is also going on continuously. I would urge the youth to join NCC in maximum numbers. You will notice that no matter what career you choose, NCC will help you a lot in personality development. Friends, the role of the youth in building a developed India is very significant. When young minds come together and deliberate upon the country's future journey, positively, concrete paths emerge. You know that on the 12th of January, on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the country celebrates 'Youth Day'. Next year is Swami Vivekananda's 162nd birth anniversary. This time it will be celebrated in a very special way. On this occasion, a Maha Kumbh of young minds is going to be held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi on 11-12 January, and the name of this initiative is 'Vikasit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue'. Crores of youth from all over India will participate in it. 2 thousand such youth selected from villages, blocks, districts, states will gather at Bharat Mandapam for the 'Vikasit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue'. You might remember that from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I have urged such youths to join politics, none of whose family members or even the entire family have had a political background.


To connect 1 lakh such youths, new youths, to politics, many special campaigns will be run in the country. 'Vikasit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue' is also one such effort. Experts from the country and abroad will grace this. Many national and international personalities would also be there. I will also be present in it for as much time as possible. The youth will get an opportunity to present their ideas directly before us. How can the country take these ideas forward? How can a solid roadmap be made? A blueprint will be prepared for this. So you too get ready; this is a great opportunity for those who are going to build the future of India, who are the future generation of the country. Come, let us build the country together, make the country developed.

My dear countrymen, in Mann ki Baat, we often talk about such youth. There are many youths who are working selflessly for the society and are engaged in finding solutions to numerous minor problems of the people. If we look around us, we see so many people who need some kind of help or information. I am happy to know that some youths have formed groups and addressed such issues as well. For example, Virendra, who lives in Lucknow, helps the elderly in the matter of Digital Life Certificate. As you know as per rules, all pensioners have to submit Life Certificate once a year. Till 2014, the process was such that the elderly had to go to the banks and submit it themselves. You can imagine how much inconvenience it used to cause to our elderly. Now this system has changed.

Now, by enabling the Digital Life Certificate, things have become very simple; the elderly do not have to go to the bank. Youths like Virendra have a major role in ensuring that the elderly do not face any problem on account of technology. They keep making the elderly of their neighbourhood aware about it. Not just that, they are also making the elderly tech savvy. Today, with such efforts, the number of people receiving Digital Life certificates has crossed the 80 lakh mark. Among these, more than 2 lakh are such elderly people whose age has crossed even 80.

Friends, in many cities, the youth are also coming forward to make the elderly a part of the digital revolution. Mahesh from Bhopal has taught many elderly people of his locality to make payments through mobile. These elderly people had smart phones, but there was no one to tell them their correct usage. The youth have also come forward to save the elderly from the risk of Digital Arrest. Rajiv from Ahmedabad warns people about the risk of Digital Arrest. I had discussed Digital Arrest in the last episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'. The elderly are the most common victims of such crimes. In such a situation, it is our responsibility to make them aware and help them stay safe from cyber fraud. We have to explain to people again and again that there is no provision of digital arrest in the government; this is a blatant lie, a conspiracy to trap people. I am happy that our young friends are participating in this work with full sensitivity and are motivating others as well.

My dear countrymen, these days many experiments are being conducted for the education of children. The effort is to enhance the creativity of our children and their love for books. It is said that 'books' are humans’ best friend and what better place than the library to strengthen this friendship. I want to share one such example from Chennai with you. Here one such library has been set up for children, which has become a hub of creativity and learning. It is known as Prakrith Arivagam. The idea of this library is the brainchild of Shriram Gopalan ji, who is associated with the world of technology. During his work abroad, he remained connected with the world of latest technology. But, he also kept thinking about developing the habit of reading and learning in children. After returning to India, he established Prakrith Arivagam. It has more than three thousand books, which children eagerly wait to read. Apart from books, different types of activities being organized in this library also attract children. Be it Story Telling sessions, Art Workshops, Memory Training Classes, Robotics Lessons or Public Speaking, there is something or the other, to the liking of everyone.

Friends, The Food for Thought Foundation has also established many wonderful libraries in Hyderabad. It’s their endeavor as well, to ensure that children get books to read with solid information on as many topics as possible. The Prayog library of Gopalganj in Bihar has started being talked about in many cities in the neighbourhood.
Apart from youths of around 12 villages getting the facility to read books from this library, this library is also providing other important facilities to the people. Some libraries are such that they are very useful for students in preparing for competitive examinations. It is indeed very heartening to note that the library is being used in the best possible way to strengthen the society. You too should develop friendship with books and see how it brings a change in your life.

My dear countrymen, I have returned from Guyana, a country in South America, the night before yesterday. Thousands of kilometres away from India, a ‘Mini India’ dwells in Guyana too. Around 180 years ago, people from India were taken to Guyana to work in the fields and for other tasks. Today, people of Indian origin in Guyana are leading the country in every field… be it politics, business, education or culture. The President of Guyana, Dr. Irfan Ali, is also of Indian origin and is proud of his Indian heritage. When I was in Guyana, a thought struck my mind which I am sharing with you in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Just like Guyana, there are lakhs of Indians in dozens of countries across the world. Their ancestors have their own stories of decades; even those over 200-300 years ago. Can you be on the lookout for such stories of how Indian immigrants made their mark in different countries! How they took part in their freedom struggle! How they kept their Indian heritage alive! I want you to find out such true stories, and share them with me. You can also share these stories on the NaMo App or on MyGov with #IndianDiasporaStories.

Friends, you will also find an extraordinary project going on in Oman very interesting. Numerous Indian families have been living in Oman for many centuries. Most of them who have settled there are from Kutch in Gujarat. These people had created important trade links. Even today they have Omani citizenship, but Indianness is ingrained in their personae. With the support of the Indian Embassy in Oman and the National Archives of India, a team has started the work of preserving the history of these families. Thousands of documents have been collected under this campaign so far. These include diaries, account books, ledgers, letters and telegrams. Some of these documents even date back to the year 1838. These documents are full of sentiments. When they reached Oman years ago, what kind of life they lived, what kind of joys and sorrows they faced, and, how their relations with the people of Oman progressed. All of this is a part of these documents. The ‘Oral History Project’ is also an important basis of this mission. In this mission, senior people from there have shared their experiences. People have expressed in detail about their lifestyle there.

Friends, a similar ‘Oral History Project’ is being carried out in India as well. Under this project, history enthusiasts are collating the experiences of the victims during the period of partition of the country. Now, there are very few people left in the country who have witnessed the horrors of Partition. In such a situation, this effort has become even more significant.

Friends, the country, the place that preserves it’s history, its future is also secure. With this very thought in mind, an effort has been made in which a directory has been created to preserve the history of villages. A campaign is also going on in the country to preserve evidences related to India's ancient maritime capability. Under this series, a very big museum is also being built in Lothal. Apart from that, if you are aware of any manuscript, any historical document, any handwritten copy, you can preserve it with the help of National Archives of India.

Friends, I have come to know about another such effort being undertaken in Slovakia which is related to conserving and promoting our culture. Here, for the first time, our Upanishads have been translated into the Slovak language. These efforts also underscore the global influence of Indian culture. It is a matter of pride for all of us that there are crores of people across the world who cherish India in their hearts.

My dear countrymen, I now want to share with you one such achievement of the country which will make you happy and proud, and if you have not done it, you will probably regret it. A few months ago, we started the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. People from all over the country participated in this campaign with great enthusiasm. I am very happy to tell you that this campaign has crossed the important milestone of planting 100 crore trees. A 100 crore trees, that too, in just 5 months.

This has been possible only due to the tireless efforts of our countrymen. You will be proud to know one more fact related to this. The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign is now spreading to other countries of the world as well. When I was in Guyana, I witnessed this campaign there as well. There, Guyana's President Dr. Irfan Ali, his mother in law, and other family members joined me in the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign.

Friends, this campaign is going on continuously in different parts of the country. A record of tree planting was made in Indore, Madhya Pradesh under the campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' - more than 12 lakh trees were planted here in 24 hours. On account of this campaign, the barren area of Revati Hills of Indore will now turn into a green zone. A unique record was made through this campaign in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan - here a team of women planted 25 thousand trees in one hour. Mothers planted trees in the name of their mothers and inspired others too. Here, more than 5 thousand people planted trees at one location.

This too is a record in itself. Under the campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', many social organizations are planting trees according to local needs. Their effort is that wherever trees are planted, a complete eco system should develop in an environment friendly manner. Therefore, these organizations are planting medicinal plants at some places, and at other places, they are planting trees to facilitate nesting for birds. In Bihar, the women of 'Jeevika Self Help Group' are running a campaign to plant 75 lakh trees. The focus of these women is on fruit trees, so that income could also be generated in the future.

Friends, by joining this campaign, any person can plant a tree in the name of his mother. If the mother is with you, you can plant the tree along with her, otherwise you can become a part of this campaign by carrying her photograph with you. You can also post a selfie with the tree on mygov.in. We can never repay the debt of what our mother does for all of us, but by planting a tree in her name, we can keep her presence alive forever.

My dear countrymen, all of you must have seen sparrows chirping on roof tops or trees during your childhood. Sparrows are known as Kuruvi in Tamil and Malayalam, Pichhuka in Telugu and Gubbi in Kannada. Stories about sparrows are told in every language and culture. Sparrows play a very important role in maintaining bio-diversity around us, but today sparrows are hardly visible in cities. Due to increasing urbanization, sparrows have gone away from us. There are many children of today's generation who have seen sparrows only in pictures or videos. Some unique efforts are being made to bring back this lovely bird in the lives of such children. Chennai's Kudugal Trust has involved school children in its campaign to increase the sparrow population. The people of the organisation go to schools and tell the children how important sparrows are in everyday life. This organisation trains children to make sparrow nests. For this, the people of the organisation taught the children to make a small wooden house. In that, arrangements for food and shelter were made for the sparrows. These are homes that can be placed on the outer wall of any building or on a tree.

Children participated in this campaign with enthusiasm and started making nests for sparrows in large numbers. In the last 4 years, the organization has prepared ten thousand such nests for sparrows. With this initiative of the Kudugal Trust, the sparrow population has started rising in the surrounding areas. If you too make such efforts in your surroundings, sparrows will certainly again become a part of our lives. Friends, an organization in Mysuru, Karnataka has started a campaign called 'Early Bird' for children. This organization runs a special kind of library to tell children about birds. Not only this, it has prepared a 'Nature Education Kit' to create a sense of responsibility towards nature in children. This kit contains story books, games, activity sheets and jig-saw puzzles for children. This organization takes children from cities to villages and introduces them to birds. On account of the efforts of this organization, children have started recognizing many species of birds. The listeners of 'Mann Ki Baat' can also develop a different perspective in children to see and understand their surroundings through such efforts.

My dear countrymen, you must have noticed that as soon as someone mentions a 'government office', a picture of a pile of files emerges in your mind. You must have seen something similar in films too. So many jokes are made on these piles of files in government offices; so many stories have been written. These files used to gather dust after lying in offices for years and years, and would start accumulating dirt.

A special Swachhata Abhiyan was launched to remove such decades-old files and scrap. You will be happy to know that this campaign has brought amazing results in government departments. Cleanliness has freed up a lot of space in offices. This has also brought in a sense of ownership among the people working in the offices. They have also become serious about keeping their work place clean.

Friends, you must have often heard elders say that where there is cleanliness, Goddess Lakshmi resides there. The concept of 'waste to wealth' is very old in our country. In many parts of the country, the 'youth' are transforming items considered useless, that is waste, to wealth. They are innovating in different ways. They are earning money from that; generating avenues of employment. These youth are also promoting a sustainable lifestyle through their efforts. The effort of two daughters of Mumbai is really very inspiring. These two daughters named Akshara and Prakriti are creating fashion items through fabric scraps. You also know that the scraps that come out during cutting and stitching of clothes are considered useless and thrown away. Akshara and Prakriti's team transforms the same fabric scraps into fashion products. Caps and bags made from cuttings are literally flying off the shelves.

Friends, a good initiative is on in Kanpur, UP as well, pertaining to cleanliness. Here some people go for daily morning walks picking up plastic and other garbage spread on the banks of the Ganga. This group has been named the 'Kanpur Ploggers Group'.

This campaign was started by a few friends collectively. Gradually, it became a big campaign of public participation. Many people of the city have joined this campaign. Its members have now started collecting garbage from shops and houses as well. Tree guards are made from this garbage in the Recycle Plant, i.e., people of this group also protect the plants with tree guards made from garbage.

Friends, Iitisha from Assam too is an example of how tiny efforts can lead to big success. Iitisha has studied in Delhi and Pune. Iitisha has left the glitz and glamour of the corporate world and is engaged in cleaning the Sangti Valley of Arunachal. A lot of plastic waste had started accumulating there because of tourists. The river there, which was once pristine, had become polluted because of the plastic waste. Iitisha is working with the local people to clean it. People of her group spread awareness among the tourists there and put up bamboo dustbins all over the valley to collect plastic waste.

Friends, such efforts lend momentum to India's Swachhata Abhiyan. This is a perpetual campaign. This must certainly be happening around you as well. Do keep writing to me about such efforts.

Friends, that is all for this episode of Mann Ki Baat. I eagerly await your feedback, letters and suggestions throughout the month. Your messages every month inspire me to do even better. We will meet again next month in another episode of Mann Ki Baat with new achievements of the country and countrymen. Until then, my best wishes to all the countrymen. Thank you very much.