Vadnagar, Sep 17 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that no political leader in independent India has completed 25 years tenure, serving as the head of state government and the Union government, while highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political journey during an event in Vadnagar, his birthplace.
Addressing the launch of the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ at Sharmishtha Lake, Shah said the campaign is being organised to take the message of PM Modi’s 25 years in public life to people across the country.
A Vadnagar-to-Varanasi service yatra was also flagged off as part of the programme, linking PM Modi’s birthplace with his parliamentary constituency and political “karmabhoomi”.
The campaign is being held from September 17 to October 7 to mark PM Modi’s birthday and his 25 years in public life.
“Since the country became independent till today, no politician has made a record of serving for 25 years as the head of a state and as the head of the country,” Shah said.
He described PM Modi as the “only leader” to have continuously received electoral mandates and public support through this period.
Shah said the significance of the 25-year milestone would be marked on October 7, when PM Modi would complete 25 years since first becoming chief minister of Gujarat and subsequently serving as prime minister.
He said the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners had decided to take the occasion to people across the country.
The Home Minister said the Vadnagar-Varanasi journey would carry the message of PM Modi’s 25 years of work through villages across seven states.
According to Shah, about 300 bikers would travel from Vadnagar and another 300 from Varanasi, taking the total number of riders to 600.
“The journey would connect Hatkeshwar Mahadev in Vadnagar with Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi,” he noted.
Shah said the campaign is not merely intended to mark a birthday but to introduce PM Modi’s life and public career to younger generations.
He also sought to contrast the situation he said prevailed before PM Modi became prime minister with the political and economic conditions he attributed to the subsequent period.
Referring to his own travels across the country between 2010 and 2013, Shah said there had been “deep disappointment” among people, with corruption cases being reported, concerns over internal security and questions over external security.
“When Modi ji became prime minister in 2014, and in 2026, 140 crore Indians are moving forward with enthusiasm, resolve and hope that by 2047 India will be foremost in the world,” he said, describing the change in public confidence as a major achievement.
Shah said that when PM Modi entered the Union government, there was “policy paralysis”, which he claimed was replaced by clearer policies.
He linked this to India’s subsequent economic growth and said the country had moved from what he termed the “Fragile Five” to becoming the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
He listed the Goods and Services Tax, the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile system and direct benefit transfers among the measures introduced under PM Modi’s government.
He also referred to banking reforms, foreign direct investment and production-linked incentives, saying these had contributed to manufacturing growth.
Shah cited infrastructure expansion as another area of change, pointing to roads, railways, airports, ports and digital infrastructure.
“The number of airports had increased from 75 to 150 and referred to PM Gati Shakti as an effort to coordinate infrastructure projects through technology and time-bound implementation,” he said.
He also mentioned Digital India and Startup India, saying they had opened opportunities for young people, while improved connectivity in border areas had contributed to national security.
On national security and law, Shah cited the abrogation of Article 370, the abolition of triple talaq, the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the new criminal codes.
He also referred to the government’s stated objective of making ‘India free of Naxalism’, peace agreements in the North-East, and military operations including the surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor.
Shah said women had received greater opportunities in the armed forces, police, science, start-ups, drones and sports.
He also referred to Eklavya schools, PM Janman and Vibrant Villages in the context of tribal welfare.
He mentioned the construction of the new Parliament building and installation of the Sengol as measures he said had strengthened “national consciousness”.
He also referred to Chandrayaan, Aditya-L1 and the naming of the Shiv Shakti Point, along with One Rank One Pension and the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff.
Turning to PM Modi’s years as Gujarat chief minister, Shah cited the state’s 24-hour electricity supply to villages, agricultural development, the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana and Sagarkhedu development scheme, industrial development, Vibrant Gujarat and initiatives in education.
He said providing round-the-clock electricity had effects beyond household convenience.
“This is not only a question of convenience. As soon as electricity arrived, business arrived. As soon as electricity arrived, education arrived. As soon as electricity arrived, health arrived. As soon as electricity arrived, infrastructure arrived,” he said.
Shah said the Vanbandhu and Sagarkhedu schemes had been intended to make development “sarvasparshi” and “sarvasamaveshi” by extending it to tribal communities and villages along the coast.
“The Gujarat model subsequently formed the basis of the political mandate PM Modi received in 2014,” he added.
