NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday (May 25) that caste enumeration is a step towards his government’s model to bring the marginalised and those left behind in the mainstream of development.
Addressing a day-long National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Chief Ministers’ Conclave, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the national capital, he said the success of Operation Sindoor was also a reaffirmation of the achievements the country has made in its push towards self-reliance.
“Participated in the NDA Chief Ministers’ Conclave in Delhi. We had extensive deliberations about various issues. Various states showcased their best practices in diverse areas including water conservation, grievance redressal, strengthening administrative frameworks, education, women empowerment, sports and more. It was wonderful to hear these experiences,” the prime minister posted on X.
“I emphasised the need to add momentum to our development trajectories and ensure the benefits of a double-engine government reach the people in an effective manner. Spoke about building stronger synergies in key areas be it cleanliness, sanitation, healthcare, youth empowerment, agriculture, technology and more,” he further added.
Earlier, a resolution, praising the valour of the armed forces and the brave leadership of the Prime Minister, was passed during the meeting.
The resolution, proposed by Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said Operation Sindoor has boosted the self-confidence of Indians.
The resolution said the prime minister has always supported the armed forces and that Operation Sindoor has given a befitting reply to terrorists and their sponsors.
Tributes were also paid to the innocent people killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in the meeting.
Over 20 chief ministers and 18 deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states gathered in New Delhi to attend the programme. Several chief ministers made presentations on the signature schemes of their states.
After the meeting, Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda, addressing a press conference, said Operation Sindoor was highly praised by several leaders during the programme. “Today, our National Democratic Alliance’s CM conclave was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Our 20 CMs and 18 Deputy CMs were present in this meeting. Two resolutions were passed. The first resolution was on Operation Sindoor, which was carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the work of our army was highly praised, and the bravery shown by the army was highly appreciated,” JP Nadda added.
The resolution on caste census was also passed in the conclave, with the leaders praising the decision of PM Modi to conduct the caste enumeration exercise, while also affirming that this was not done due to “caste politics” but to ensure that the deprived, oppressed and exploited are brought to the mainstream.
“Today, a resolution was also passed in the meeting on the caste census. And everyone has given their consent to this, as well as praised this decision of (PM) Modi and congratulated him. We have made it clear that we do not do caste politics, but want to bring the deprived, oppressed and exploited, who have been left out, into the mainstream. This is the need of the society,” Nadda told media persons.
The leaders also discussed the Chhattisgarh government’s development model and innovative initiatives.
The day-long NDA CMs and Dy CMs conclave, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, was a brainstorming session on good governance issues. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among the senior leaders present at the meeting that served as a platform for discussing good governance practices and innovative state-level initiatives.
The meeting that was organised weeks after India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under ‘Operation Sindoor’ is being seen as a coordinated attempt to reinforce the Modi government’s stance on national security. - The Statesman/ANN
