Yogesh
Jammu, Feb 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched people with his fluency in Dogri and attentive listening during his visit to Jammu on Tuesday.
Addressing a massive public gathering after laying the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 32,000 crore, Prime Minister Modi began his 35-minute speech in Dogri.
Starting off, PM Modi said, “My dear sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir, Jai Hind, once again feel very good in this Duggar land. The Dogra people are very friendly, and their language is so sweet. So that’s it… The poet of Duggar, Padma Sachdeva, has said – Sweet is the language of Dogras, and the people are much sweeter.”
The lines received huge applause and cheering from the audience, who cheered PM Modi with slogans like “Modi Ji Ko Jai Shri Ram”, “Ek Baar Fir Modi Sarkar”, and “Modi Hai To Mumkin Hai”.
During his address, the Prime Minister noticed a man carrying a child on his shoulder in the crowd seeking attention. He briefly paused his speech and appealed to the man not to expose his baby girl to the cold weather.
“Don’t trouble that girl, brother. She is a very small doll. If she were here (on the stage), then I would have blessed her a lot, but don’t trouble that girl in this cold weather,” the Prime Minister urged.
The Prime Minister made a special mention of the recent reservation granted to the Pahari Community, Valmiki community, and OBCs.
He said, “Be it our refugee families, Valmiki community, or sanitation workers, they have been granted democratic rights. The years-old demand of the Valmiki community to get the benefit of the SC category has been fulfilled. ‘Paddari tribe’, ‘Pahari ethnic group’, ‘Gadda Brahmin’, and ‘Koli’ communities have been included in the Scheduled Tribes. Seats have been reserved in the Assembly for Scheduled Tribes. Reservation has been given to OBCs in Panchayats, Municipalities, and Municipal Corporations. This mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas is the foundation of a developed Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier, the Prime Minister interacted with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu’ program.
Veena Devi from Padder-Kishtwar district informed the Prime Minister that she has availed the benefits of the Ujjwala Yojana, which has improved her life and allowed her to prioritize time for herself and her family.
Kirti Sharma of Basholi Kathua, a beneficiary of the Rashtriya Ajivika Abhiyan, highlighted the benefits of being attached to a Self-Help Group and promised to assist the PM in creating Lakhpati Didi.
Laal Mohammad, a farmer from Poonch, thanked the Prime Minister for the aid under the M Awas Yojna, which helped him build a pucca home where he now resides. He also recited a couplet on the theme of ‘Viksit Bharat’ in appreciation of the Prime Minister.
Shaheena Begum from Bandipora, a self-help group member, informed the Prime Minister about her struggles with unemployment despite holding a post-graduation in Sociology. She also mentioned her brand name during the conversation, which both the Prime Minister and Jammu and Kashmir’s LG appreciated, recognizing her entrepreneurial skills.
Riyaz Ahmed Koli of Pulwama, a beneficiary of the Jal Jeevan Mission, informed the Prime Minister that every house in his village now has piped water, resulting in a significant transformation of life for his family. He also conveyed the blessings of the women in the villages to the Prime Minister. After the abrogation of Article 370, he attained property rights to his land. He and other members of the tribal community greatly benefited from that. The Prime Minister, recalling his days as a political worker, praised the hospitality of the Gujjar community.
