Nation comes first, not ideology: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the country should come first and should be put before ideology. “Ideologies have their own place, and so do political ambitions. But the fact remains that country is first, society is first and nation is first.”

The Prime Minister said this in a programme marking the 10th death anniversary of the late Harmohan Singh Yadav.

He expressed concern over the growing tendency to put ideology before the nation. “The tendency of putting ideologies and personal interests before that of the country’s is gaining momentum”, the prime minister warned.

“It is the responsibility of every political party that opposing a party or an individual should not turn against the country. Ideologies have their own place but the country is first, society is first, and nation is first,” said PM Modi.

“Many a times, opposition parties place obstructions before the government because they could not implement decisions when they were in power. Now, when these initiatives are implemented, they oppose. It is the duty of all political parties to be mindful that opposing a party or a person does not become a voice against the country,” he said.

Most political parties, particularly the non-Congress ones, have fulfilled this thought of keeping the country first in true

spirit, he said, adding that non-Congress parties followed the principle of support and coordination.

“During the 1971 war, the opposition parties supported the government of the day and strongly sided with the Centre after the (first) Pokhran nuclear test in 1974. Then, they came together to save democracy and the country when Emergency was imposed,” he said, adding that political parties must know they exist because of democracy.