Democracy is ensuring social equality in India: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India considers democracy to be a means of ensuring social equality. Addressing the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of Bihar Legislative Assembly, PM Modi also said, “India considers democracy to be a means for ensuring social equality. India believes in the idea of co-existence and harmony. We believe in truth, we believe in co-operation, we believe in harmony and we believe in the cohesive power of society.”

The Prime Minister highlighted that Indian democracy dates back to the ancient era and lauded the history of Bihar in playing a key role in ensuring the progress of democracy.

“The concept of democracy in India is as ancient as this nation is, as ancient as our culture. For decades, people diverted attention by saying that India has got democracy due to foreign rule and foreign thinking. But, when any person says this, he tries to cover up the history of Bihar and the heritage of Bihar,” he said.

“When large parts of the world were taking their first steps towards civilization and culture, a sophisticated democracy was functioning in Vaishali. When the understanding of democratic rights began to develop in other regions of the world, republics like Lichchavi and Vajjisangh were at their peak,” he said.

Earlier during the day, the prime minister inaugurated Deoghar Airport in Jharkhand and other development projects in the city. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple  developmental projects worth more than Rs 16,800 crore in Deoghar He laid the foundation of the 657-acre Deoghar airport constructed at a cost of Rs 401 crore and flagged off a Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight from the Deoghar airport to mark the inauguration of Jharkhand’s second airport after Ranchi.

Addressing a public meeting in Deoghar, the Prime Minister said, “Shortcut politics can destroy the country. In India, we have to stay away from politics that take such shortcuts. Today shortcut politics is the biggest challenge. It is very easy to fetch votes through shortcuts. If the politics of one country depends on shortcut politics, then it will lead to a short circuit. We have to stay away from it.” He also urged people to stay away from shortcut politics.

“I am urging the countrymen to stay away from short-cut politics. Those who do politics of short-cut will never build new airports, will never build new, modern highways. Those who do politics of short-cut will never get AIIMS built, will not work hard for a medical college in every district,” he said.