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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the contribution of India’s ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) in the Swachh Bharat Mission was immense.

“The contribution of India’s Nari Shakti (women power) in the Swachh Bharat (clean India) Mission is immense,” Modi said while launching the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva Movement’.

“Youngsters are ambassadors of social change. The way they have furthered the message of cleanliness is commendable. The youth are at the forefront of a positive change in India,” Modi said while interacting with the students of Assam via his NaMo App.

Modi also said that till October 2, which is Gandhi Jayanti, “let us rededicate ourselves towards fulfilling Bapu’s dream of a Clean India”.

Highlighting the success of the clean India mision, Modi said: “The Swachata coverage is now above 90 per cent which used to be 40 per cent four years ago. This happened in just four years.

“The credit for the success of Swachhata Abhiyan goes to the people of this nation and not the government alone,” he said, adding that over nine crore toilets have been built in last four years and over 4.5 lakh villages have been declared as open defecation free.

“Did anyone thought four years ago that over 20 states and union territories would become ODF? This is the power of the people of India.”

Modi also stressed that by only building toilets India won’t become clean.

“Cleanliness is a habbit in which one has to indulge himself everyday and change in behaviour is also required,” he said.

In an outreach to the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shia sect of Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India treats the world as family and takes everyone along which distinguishes it from other countries.

Speaking at Ashara Mubaraka — Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Imam Husain — organized by the Dawoodi Bohra community at the Saifee Mosque here, he praised the community for its honesty and said it has always played a key role in India’s progress and growth story.

“We are people who treat the world as a family and follow the tradition of taking every one along. This is the strength of our society, our heritage that distinguishes us from other countries,” Modi said.

Remembering the sacrifices of Imam Husain, the prime minister said the Imam always stood against injustice and attained martyrdom for peace.

Modi said the Bohra community had imbibed the message of Imam Hussain and taken it to the world and his message has a greater relevance in today’s world.

Appreciating the work done by Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the head of the Bohra community, which has a good number of business people, Modi said love and dedication towards the nation are hallmarks of his teachings.

He said the government was encouraging honest businessmen through laws like the GST and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and has succeeded in sending a clear message in the past four years that business should be carried out according to rules.

He said the country has achieved an over 8 per cent GDP growth rate due to the fair business practices encouraged by his government.

“The businessmen and traders are the backbone of economy. They are an important unit to produce employment. They are being encouraged to the extent possible. But this is also true that all five fingers are not alike. There are people in society who treat dishonesty as business,” Modi said.

“In the last four years, the government has succeeded in giving a clear message that all activities should take place within the rules. The honest businessmen are being encouraged through GST, Insolvency and Bankruptcy code,” Modi added.

He said trust among global investors has increased in the last four years and investment is at a record level.

He said India is the fastest growing economy among the major economies and is seeking to achieve a double digit growth rate now. “And the way we are progressing, the country can achieve it despite the challenges before us.”

The Prime Minister said that the kind of esteem India had in the past, “we have the opportunity to get the same respect for New India.”

“We have pride on the past, faith on the present and self-confidence of a bright future. We will keep marching together for rebuilding the country,” he said.

Modi said his relationship with the Bohra community was very old and they supported his endeavours when he was chief minister of Gujarat.

“It is my good fortune that I have always got your affection. There will probably be no village in Gujarat which does not have a businessman from the Bohra community. When I was chief minister, they gave me support at every step. Your warmth has brought me here,” Modi said.

He said the Bohra community had helped the Gujarat government cope with the water problem and malnutrition and had built 11,000 houses for the poor.

Noting that the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva Movement’ will begin on Friday, Modi said he will interact through video conferencing with every section including religious leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and citizens.

Referring to Ayushman Bharat, which will be launched on September 25, Modi said it has come like a “sanjeevni (lifeline)” for 50 crore poor people in the country and was in a trial phase at present.

Referring to Indore, he said the city was the leader in the cleanliness drive and Bhopal has also done good work in the area. “The youth in entire Madhya Pradesh are giving speed to this campaign.”

Questioning the Delhi University over its alleged silence on the procurement of EVMs used in DUSU elections, the Congress on Friday demanded that a revote be held with ballot papers.

The party also questioned the poll panel over “privately sourced EVMs” used in the student body elections, adding that its demand for the last two years on the use of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails in DUSU elections had been ignored.

“The Election Commission on Thursday clarified that they did not supply the Electronic Voting Machines used in Delhi University Students Union elections. After the EC clarification on the EVMs, why didn’t the varsity tell from where it got these EVMs,” Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken asked while speaking to the media here.

He also claimed the EVMs were tampered with, adding that it resulted in the defeat of Congress-affiliated NSUI on three of the four DUSU posts.

The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad won three of the four seats, while the National Students Union of India got one post in the elections, the results of which were declared on Thursday.

“Whenever there is EVM malfunctioning, the BJP ends up winning elections,” the Congress leader quipped.

The Congress leader said that the varsity issued a circular on September 10 to all affiliated colleges’ principals on the use of EVMs on election day.

“Hyderabad-based Electronic Corporation India Limited (ECIL) supplied EVMs to the Delhi University. It is the same company that provides EVMs to the Election Commission too,” Maken said, adding that without permission from the poll panel, ECIL cannot supply EVMs to anyone.

“When the EC’s committee concerned did not approve the EVMs’ supply to the DU, how did it happen? And if the EC did give the nod for the supply, why has the information been hidden from us?” the Congress leader questioned.

“The EVMs are being tampered. And if the EVMs have been tampered for the DU polls, why cannot they be tampered in the general elections?”

(IANS)