Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 25 years in public life at a New Delhi event on Wednesday. He set goals for a developed India by 2047 and becoming the third-largest economy. Modi said, "For me, there is no personal ambition in life, only mission," while leading chants of "We will do it."
Narendra Modi addresses the gathering at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. narendramodi.in via PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday repeatedly broke into chants of "We will do it" at a party event marking his 25 years in public life, declaring that he would "neither stop nor tire nor waver" until India becomes a developed country.
Modi, 76, was widely seen as trying to inject fresh energy into public enthusiasm for his leadership and signal his intent to continue for a longer political innings, as his third term faces steep challenges amid sustained street protests by the Opposition and sections of the citizenry.
"Today is the day to reiterate that pledge, to express the resolve that we will get it done," the Prime Minister said while addressing the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha that marked his uninterrupted quarter-century stint in public life since becoming chief minister on October 7, 2001.
Speaking in Hindi, Modi switched to English to lead the gathering at Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in chants of "We will do it, we will do it".
He then elaborated on his political and national targets -- "Viksit Bharat by 2047, we will do it; third-largest economy, we will do it; self-reliant India, we will do it; hosting the Olympics, we will do it; stepping into space, we will do it" -- with party cadres joining the chorus.
Modi ended his over-hour-long address with a pledge that underscored his determination to stay the course: "Every single moment of my life will be dedicated to the land of India. And until India becomes developed, I will neither stop nor tire, nor waver from my path."
The spirited speech came as the Opposition, led by Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, took to the streets of central Delhi for the second consecutive day, demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Modi did not directly refer to the Opposition protests, but his speech sought to project a leader still firmly in command, personally invested in India's transformation and determined to carry his political project forward.
"For me, there was only one goal in life: selfless service to the country. For me, karma (action) is everything. Karma is my dharma (duty)," he said, adding: "For me, there is no personal ambition in life, only mission."
Tracing his journey from Gujarat chief minister to Prime Minister, Modi said the "We will do it" mantra, strengthened by "people's trust", had enabled him to dream big and find hope even in difficult circumstances.
"When I took over as Prime Minister in 2014, the world had started saying about the Indian economy that 'it's a gone case'.... The country needed new hope and I called upon the people's power," he said, before repeating: "We will do it."
Modi claimed that India's fortunes had been transformed over the past 12 years. "Whenever a crisis struck in the past, India's economy would be shaken. Today, when a crisis comes, India's strength and resilience are discussed," he said.
Seeking to underline that his political project remained unfinished even after 25 years in public life, Modi called for bigger national ambitions. "Today, we ourselves are the makers of our destiny. Therefore, it would be an injustice to Mother India if we were to pursue small goals.... This is the time when we, as a nation, should set big goals," he said.