Shri Modi addresses public meetings in Savarkundla, Dhrangadhra, Surendranagar and Dholka 

Shri Modi ends his public meetings in the seats that go to the polls in Phase 1 of the 2012 Gujarat Vidhan Sabha elections 

CM punctures lies spread by Mr. Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in Gujarat 

Mr. Rahul Gandhi said I am walking on Mahatma Gandhi ji’s path but if he is actually walking on Gandhi ji’s path then one wish of Mahatma Gandhi would not be left incomplete- which was to disband the Congress after Independence. 

Do the youth want jobs or mobile phones? Do the women want to see prices come down or they want mobile phones? In any case, if half the nation is under darkness under your rule, where will we charge these mobile phones? Asks Shri Modi 

Mr. Rahul Gandhi talks of respect for Vidhan Sabha but from May 2011 to May 2012 Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s attendance in the Lok Sabha was 24 out of 85 sittings. From 2010 to 2011 it was 19 out of 72 sittings: CM 

If Mr. Rahul Gandhi has so much respect for the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha, he should tell the Gujarat Governor to pass bills that the democratically elected assembly has passed: Shri Modi 

CM appeals people to vote in large numbers, seeks great participation by women voters

On Tuesday 11th December 2012 Shri Narendra Modi addressed a large public meeting in Savarkundla (Amreli district), Dhrangadhra (Surendranagar district), Surendranagar city and Dholka (Ahmedabad). With this, Shri Modi ends his public meetings in all those areas that go to the polls during the first phase of the Gujarat elections on 13th December 2012. The Chief Minister spoke at length about the development initiative in the state over the last 11 years and pointed out that even while criticizing the Gujarat Government people talk about development but in case of the UPA all that is talked about is scams, loot, price rise etc.

In his unique style he punctured all the lies spread by Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who campaigned in Gujarat this morning. He pointed out that he addresses more public meetings in one day than what Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Rahul Gandhi have done during the entire campaign. Shri Modi said, “Today Mr. Rahul Gandhi came and said I have a close relation with Mahatma Gandhi. But you were not even born then!” Speaking about Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s anecdote on Mahatma Gandhi sleeping on the floor in Anand Bhawan, Shri Modi declared, “It was Mahatma Gandhi’s greatness and his affection towards Nehru that he slept on the floor but the real issue is Mr. Motilal Nehru sleeping on the bed when his son was in jail!”

Referring to Rahul Gandhi he added, “He said I am walking on Gandhi ji’s path but if he is actually walking on Gandhi ji’s path then one wish of Mahatma Gandhi would not be left incomplete- which was to disband the Congress after Independence.” Shri Modi urged the people of Gujarat to turn this dream of Mahatma Gandhi into reality in Gujarat.

Shri Modi exposed the lack of issues in the Congress campaign. Again referring to Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s comments on the Congress bringing mobile phones the Chief Minister asked, “Do the youth want jobs or mobile phones? Do the women want to see prices come down or they want mobile phones? In any case, if half the nation is under darkness under your rule, where will we charge these mobile phones?” Shri Modi said that instead of talking about what the Congress will do for the nation, they are stuck on mobile phones.

Delivering a sharp reply on the Congress General Secretary’s statement that the Vidhan Sabha does not meet for more than 25 days, Shri Modi shared that from May 2011 to May 2012 Shri Rahul Gandhi’s attendance in the Lok Sabha was 24 out of 85 sittings. From 2010 to 2011 it was 19 out of 72 sittings! “If you had respect, you would go for all sittings!” he commented. The Chief Minister stated that if Shri Rahul Gandhi has so much love for the Vidhan Sabha, he should know that in Gujarat the Assembly has debated issues even for days on end but the attitude of the Congress has not been positive. “We discuss issues for many days and bills are passed. But sadly Congress does not respect Vidhan Sabha also!” he commented. 

The public meetings were very well attended by people across al age groups and communities of society.

Shri Modi said that if Mr. Rahul Gandhi has so much respect for the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha, he should tell the Gujarat Governor to pass bills that the democratically elected assembly has passed. Be it GUJCOC or a Bill to give equal seats for men and women in local bodies, these crucial bills are pending at the table of the Governor.

On Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s charge about RTI applications, Shri Modi said that the people should ask Mr. Rahul Gandhi about the pending applications in Delhi and pointed out that over 3 lakh RTI applications are pending in Delhi.

The Chief Minister posed a direct question to the Congress- what happened to the 1 crore jobs you promised in 2009? “You took the votes but has any youngster here got a job from Delhi? he questioned. Answering the Congress lie that there is unemployment in Gujarat he affirmed that the records of the Centre clearly state that if there is one state with least unemployment it is Gujarat. Also, the Government of India records show that out of all jobs created in India, 72% of them are created in Gujarat.

He talked at length about the disastrous anti-farmer policies of the UPA, which enforced the cotton export ban caused a loss of Rs. 7000 crore to the farmers of Gujarat. Shri Modi affirmed that he does not want to see the cotton farmer of Gujarat to be left at the mercy of the Centre, which is why the Gujarat Government got the New Textile Policy that will bring a qualitative difference in the lives of the farmers. He shared that the Policy would generate lakhs of jobs for people.

Shri Modi urged the people to come out and vote in large numbers and said that these elections are not about deciding who the next MLA will be but to decide who to hand the future of Gujarat to and who will steer the state to newer heights of development in the coming years. The Chief Minister stated that just like we cannot leave the keys of our house to unknown people even we are away for 15 days, we cannot leave Gujarat with unknown hands for the next 5 years. He pointed out that the people of Gujarat know him well and have seen him work for the state and he sought their blessings to serve them for 5 more years.

Terming the attitude of the Congress led UPA as anti-Gujarat, Shri Modi affirmed that instead of presenting Gujarat as a beggar state by invoking the money that is coming from Delhi, the PM should share that Gujarat contributes Rs. 60,000 crore to Delhi every year! “Is Gujarat a beggar state? Are we living at Delhi’s mercy? The Prime Minister’s language does not suit the office he holds!” avowed Shri Modi.

 

Watch : Shri Modi addresses a gathering in Savarkundla, Amreli

Giving an example of the development work in Saurashtra, Shri Modi talked about the SAUNI Yojana and stated that this scheme of Rs. 10,000 crore will take the Narmada waters to Saurashtra and help the people immensely.

The Chief Minister gave a strong reply to the lies propagated by the Congress that the Gujarat Government is delaying work on the Narmada. He shared that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru did the Shilanyas for this project and for 26 years nothing happened. Then Mrs. Indira Gandhi did not act on the file for 9 years! Similarly he brought out the obstructionist attitude of the UPA be it in not allowing gates to be placed on the dam and the fact that he had to undertake a fast to ensure that the height of the dam in raised.

Replying to the comments made by top Congress leaders on Gujarat’s education, Shri Modi said that the Centre’s own records show that if there is one state that has made significant advances in primary education it is Gujarat.

The public meetings were very well attended by people across all age groups and communities of society.

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Snacks, Laughter And More, PM Modi's Candid Moments With Indian Workers In Kuwait

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Snacks, Laughter And More, PM Modi's Candid Moments With Indian Workers In Kuwait
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Joint Statement: Official visit of Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India to Kuwait (December 21-22, 2024)
December 22, 2024

At the invitation of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of India His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Kuwait on 21-22 December 2024. This was his first visit to Kuwait. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait on 21 December 2024 as the ‘Guest of Honour’ of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait received Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Bayan Palace on 22 December 2024 and was accorded a ceremonial welcome. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi expressed his deep appreciation to His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for conferring on him the highest award of the State of Kuwait ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’. The leaders exchanged views on bilateral, global, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

Given the traditional, close and friendly bilateral relations and desire to deepen cooperation in all fields, the two leaders agreed to elevate the relations between India and Kuwait to a ‘Strategic Partnership’. The leaders stressed that it is in line with the common interests of the two countries and for the mutual benefit of the two peoples. Establishment of a strategic partnership between both countries will further broad-base and deepen our long-standing historical ties.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait. In light of the newly established strategic partnership, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations through comprehensive and structured cooperation in key areas, including political, trade, investment, defence, security, energy, culture, education, technology and people-to-people ties.

The two sides recalled the centuries-old historical ties rooted in shared history and cultural affinities. They noted with satisfaction the regular interactions at various levels which have helped in generating and sustaining the momentum in the multifaceted bilateral cooperation. Both sides emphasized on sustaining the recent momentum in high-level exchanges through regular bilateral exchanges at Ministerial and senior-official levels.

The two sides welcomed the recent establishment of a Joint Commission on Cooperation (JCC) between India and Kuwait. The JCC will be an institutional mechanism to review and monitor the entire spectrum of the bilateral relations between the two countries and will be headed by the Foreign Ministers of both countries. To further expand our bilateral cooperation across various fields, new Joint Working Groups (JWGs) have been set up in areas of trade, investments, education and skill development, science and technology, security and counter-terrorism, agriculture, and culture, in addition to the existing JWGs on Health, Manpower and Hydrocarbons. Both sides emphasized on convening the meetings of the JCC and the JWGs under it at an early date.

Both sides noted that trade has been an enduring link between the two countries and emphasized on the potential for further growth and diversification in bilateral trade. They also emphasized on the need for promoting exchange of business delegations and strengthening institutional linkages.

Recognizing that the Indian economy is one of the fastest growing emerging major economies and acknowledging Kuwait’s significant investment capacity, both sides discussed various avenues for investments in India. The Kuwaiti side welcomed steps taken by India in making a conducive environment for foreign direct investments and foreign institutional investments, and expressed interest to explore investment opportunities in different sectors, including technology, tourism, healthcare, food-security, logistics and others. They recognized the need for closer and greater engagement between investment authorities in Kuwait with Indian institutions, companies and funds. They encouraged companies of both countries to invest and participate in infrastructure projects. They also directed the concerned authorities of both countries to fast-track and complete the ongoing negotiations on the Bilateral Investment Treaty.

Both sides discussed ways to enhance their bilateral partnership in the energy sector. While expressing satisfaction at the bilateral energy trade, they agreed that potential exists to further enhance it. They discussed avenues to transform the cooperation from a buyer-seller relationship to a comprehensive partnership with greater collaboration in upstream and downstream sectors. Both sides expressed keenness to support companies of the two countries to increase cooperation in the fields of exploration and production of oil and gas, refining, engineering services, petrochemical industries, new and renewable energy. Both sides also agreed to discuss participation by Kuwait in India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme.

Both sides agreed that defence is an important component of the strategic partnership between India and Kuwait. The two sides welcomed the signing of the MoU in the field of Defence that will provide the required framework to further strengthen bilateral defence ties, including through joint military exercises, training of defence personnel, coastal defence, maritime safety, joint development and production of defence equipment.

The two sides unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and called for disrupting of terrorism financing networks and safe havens, and dismantling of terror infrastructure. Expressing appreciation of their ongoing bilateral cooperation in the area of security, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism operations, information and intelligence sharing, developing and exchanging experiences, best practices and technologies, capacity building and to strengthen cooperation in law enforcement, anti-money laundering, drug-trafficking and other transnational crimes. The two sides discussed ways and means to promote cooperation in cybersecurity, including prevention of use of cyberspace for terrorism, radicalisation and for disturbing social harmony. The Indian side praised the results of the fourth high-level conference on "Enhancing International Cooperation in Combating Terrorism and Building Resilient Mechanisms for Border Security - The Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process," which was hosted by the State of Kuwait on November 4-5, 2024.

Both sides acknowledged health cooperation as one of the important pillars of bilateral ties and expressed their commitment to further strengthen collaboration in this important sector. Both sides appreciated the bilateral cooperation during the COVID- 19 pandemic. They discussed the possibility of setting up of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in Kuwait. They also expressed their intent to strengthen cooperation in the field of medical products regulation in the ongoing discussions on an MoU between the drug regulatory authorities.

The two sides expressed interest in pursuing deeper collaboration in the area of technology including emerging technologies, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. They discussed avenues to explore B2B cooperation, furthering e-Governance, and sharing best practices for facilitating industries/companies of both countries in the policies and regulation in the electronics and IT sector.

The Kuwaiti side also expressed interest in cooperation with India to ensure its food-security. Both sides discussed various avenues for collaboration including investments by Kuwaiti companies in food parks in India.

The Indian side welcomed Kuwait’s decision to become a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), marking a significant step towards collaboration in developing and deploying low-carbon growth trajectories and fostering sustainable energy solutions. Both sides agreed to work closely towards increasing the deployment of solar energy across the globe within ISA.

Both sides noted the recent meetings between the civil aviation authorities of both countries. The two sides discussed the increase of bilateral flight seat capacities and associated issues. They agreed to continue discussions in order to reach a mutually acceptable solution at an early date.

Appreciating the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2025-2029, which will facilitate greater cultural exchanges in arts, music, and literature festivals, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment on further enhancing people to people contacts and strengthening the cultural cooperation.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the signing of the Executive Program on Cooperation in the Field of Sports for 2025-2028. which will strengthen cooperation in the area of sports including mutual exchange and visits of sportsmen, organising workshops, seminars and conferences, exchange of sports publications between both nations.

Both sides highlighted that education is an important area of cooperation including strengthening institutional linkages and exchanges between higher educational institutions of both countries. Both sides also expressed interest in collaborating on Educational Technology, exploring opportunities for online learning platforms and digital libraries to modernize educational infrastructure.

As part of the activities under the MoU between Sheikh Saud Al Nasser Al Sabah Kuwaiti Diplomatic Institute and the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), both sides welcomed the proposal to organize the Special Course for diplomats and Officers from Kuwait at SSIFS in New Delhi.

Both sides acknowledged that centuries old people-to-people ties represent a fundamental pillar of the historic India-Kuwait relationship. The Kuwaiti leadership expressed deep appreciation for the role and contribution made by the Indian community in Kuwait for the progress and development of their host country, noting that Indian citizens in Kuwait are highly respected for their peaceful and hard-working nature. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi conveyed his appreciation to the leadership of Kuwait for ensuring the welfare and well-being of this large and vibrant Indian community in Kuwait.

The two sides stressed upon the depth and importance of long standing and historical cooperation in the field of manpower mobility and human resources. Both sides agreed to hold regular meetings of Consular Dialogue as well as Labour and Manpower Dialogue to address issues related to expatriates, labour mobility and matters of mutual interest.

The two sides appreciated the excellent coordination between both sides in the UN and other multilateral fora. The Indian side welcomed Kuwait’s entry as ‘dialogue partner’ in SCO during India’s Presidency of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023. The Indian side also appreciated Kuwait’s active role in the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). The Kuwaiti side highlighted the importance of making the necessary efforts to explore the possibility of transforming the ACD into a regional organisation.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi congratulated His Highness the Amir on Kuwait’s assumption of the Presidency of GCC this year and expressed confidence that the growing India-GCC cooperation will be further strengthened under his visionary leadership. Both sides welcomed the outcomes of the inaugural India-GCC Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue at the level of Foreign Ministers held in Riyadh on 9 September 2024. The Kuwaiti side as the current Chair of GCC assured full support for deepening of the India-GCC cooperation under the recently adopted Joint Action Plan in areas including health, trade, security, agriculture and food security, transportation, energy, culture, amongst others. Both sides also stressed the importance of early conclusion of the India-GCC Free Trade Agreement.

In the context of the UN reforms, both leaders emphasized the importance of an effective multilateral system, centered on a UN reflective of contemporary realities, as a key factor in tackling global challenges. The two sides stressed the need for the UN reforms, including of the Security Council through expansion in both categories of membership, to make it more representative, credible and effective.

The following documents were signed/exchanged during the visit, which will further deepen the multifaceted bilateral relationship as well as open avenues for newer areas of cooperation:● MoU between India and Kuwait on Cooperation in the field of Defence.

● Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Kuwait for the years 2025-2029.

● Executive Programme between India and Kuwait on Cooperation in the field of Sports for 2025-2028 between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India and Public Authority for Youth and Sports, Government of the State of Kuwait.

● Kuwait’s membership of International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi thanked His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait for the warm hospitality accorded to him and his delegation. The visit reaffirmed the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and Kuwait. The leaders expressed optimism that this renewed partnership would continue to grow, benefiting the people of both countries and contributing to regional and global stability. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also invited His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, and His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait to visit India.