New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today underlined that the spirit of Quit India Movement and of five years between 1942 to 1947 should be rekindled in people’s heart for a similar movement for nation building between 2017 to 2022. “Poverty, lack of education and malnutrition – these are big challenges our nation faces. We need to bring a positive change in this regard,” Mr Modi said in the Lok Sabha during a special discussion on the occasion of 75th anniversary of Quit India movement. The House today did not take up the conventional Question Hour and took up the debate on the major episode of country’s freedom as the first agenda of the day. The Prime Minister said in 1942, the clarion call was “Karenge Ya Marenge (We will do or die)” today the call should be “Karenge aur Karke Rahenge (We will do and will achieve these definitely)”. Mr Modi said the next five years should be about “Sankalp se Siddhi (Pledge to Achievement)” – a resolve which will lead the country towards accomplishment. The Prime Minister gave a clarion call to countrymen and women to resolve to overcome corruption, give the poor their rights, give youth self-employment, end malnutrition, end barriers to women empowerment, and eradicate illiteracy. “The Quit India movement marked the rise of a new leadership. The people overwhelmingly supported Mahatma Gandhi’s call of Do or Die,” Mr Modi said. He said certain issues and challenges required consensus approach and it is the demand of the time for the political class to rise above their differences. \\\\”Even during Freedom struggle, there were political and ideological differences….Netaji Subhas Bose had different ideology but there came a time when everyone decided to be one under Mahatma Gandhi,” the Prime Minister said. He said there was a change in mindset, people have become more conscious about rights than duties. “We seem to no longer care when we jump red light in traffic or spit somewhere,” he said adding changes in these spheres can come only when people change their mindset. “Mere law making cannot help this,” he said. The Prime Minister lamented why and how Mahatma Gandhi’s slogan of ‘Gram Swaraj’ has been left behind. The mass participation of Indians in the Freedom struggle actually changed the manner people across the globe saw at the then colonial masters. “India’s Freedom struggle was not only about our country. It was a defining moment in bringing an end to colonialism in other parts of the world too,” he said. Mr Modi said the GST is one achievement the country has attained by consensus approach. “GST is not achievement of one government. It has been made possible by each one of us sitting here,” he said.
