New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Ursula von der Leyen on being re-elected as the President of the European Commission and said he looked forward to working together to strengthen the India-EU strategic partnership for global good.

The Ministry of External Affairs said this in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day posted on X: “Congratulations, @vonderleyen, on your re-election as the President of the European Commission. Look forward to working together to strengthen the India-EU Strategic Partnership for global good.”

Congratulations, @vonderleyen, on your re-election as the President of the European Commission. Look forward to working together to strengthen the - Strategic Partnership for global good.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 19, 2024

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the media’s natural role is to create discourse by discussing serious issues.

Speaking after inaugurating INS Towers, the Indian Newspaper Society’s secretariat in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex, PM Modi expressed confidence that India will soon become the third-largest economy and spoke about how the nation has become the leader in digital payments.

He also said the role of newspapers is crucial in the journey to Viksit Bharat in the next 25 years and appealed to Indian publications to enhance their global presence.

“Media makes people aware of their strength. Media’s natural role is to create discourse by discussing serious issues,” PM Modi said even as he emphasised the impact of government policies on the functioning of the media.

The role of newspapers is very important in the journey to Viksit Bharat in the next 25 years. The citizens of a country who gain confidence in their capabilities start achieving new heights of success. The same is happening in India today, PM Modi said.

He said the INS has not only witnessed the ups and downs of India’s journey but also lived it and communicated it to the people.

“A country’s global image directly affects its economy. Indian publications should enhance their global presence,” the prime minister said.

He said the media is not a mute spectator of the condition of the nations but it plays a major role in changing them.

Underlining the role of newspapers and magazines in the next 25-year journey to Viksit Bharat, PM Modi highlighted the media’s role in creating awareness about rights and the potential of the citizenry He also spoke on how India has become the leader in digital payments.

“There was a time when some politicians used to say that digital transactions were not for India. They had a preconceived notion that modern technology can’t work in this country,” he said.

PM Modi further said the world is witnessing the capabilities of Indians and today, the country is creating new records in digital transactions.

“Due to India’s UPI and modern digital public infrastructure, the ease of living of people has improved, and it has become easier for them to send money across countries,” PM Modi said.

The country will benefit from the effective work done by the Indian Newspaper Society, he added.

The PM said before 2014, most people were unaware of the word startup, but the media made it reach every home.

He also highlighted the success of digital transactions in India as an example of how confident citizens achieve great success.

The Prime Minister stated the example of financial inclusion and opening of bank accounts through the movement of Jan Dhan Yojna and the integration of about 50 crore people with the banking system and added that major nations are interested in India’s digital public infrastructure.

“This project was the biggest help in Digital India and initiatives to curb corruption,” he said.

PM Modi highlighted the government’s focus on environmental protection, which he said is a humanitarian issue rather than a political one.

He said the recently launched ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign is being discussed around the world and global leaders showed a keen interest in this program during the G7 Summit.

PM Modi lauded the media for making movements like Swachh Bharat or Startup India a part of national discourse, saying these initiatives were not impacted by vote bank politics.

He underlined the important role of the media in heightening the sense of duty and awareness of the citizens towards the Constitution considering the 75th-year celebrations of the Constitution of India.

The Prime Minister reiterated India’s march to become the third largest economy in the near future.

“It is the responsibility of the media to take India’s success to every corner of the globe. A country’s global image directly affects its economy”, he said.

PM Modi also spoke about the growing importance of the Indian expatriates with the rise in the stature of India and its growing ability to contribute to global progress.

The prime Minister wished for the expansion of Indian publications in all UN languages and said that websites, micro-sites or social media accounts of these publications could be in those languages.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emphasised that creation of eight crore new jobs in the last three to four years has “silenced” those spreading fake narratives about unemployment.

Quoting a recent report of Reserve Bank of India on the employment figure, the Prime Minister asserted the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government continues to prioritise stability and growth and added that small and big investors have welcomed the NDA’s third term with enthusiasm.

During the event launching projects costing Rs 29,000 crore in road, railway, and port sectors, PM Modi took a swipe at opposition parties for spreading misinformation on job creation, labelling them as hindrances to progress.

“This figure has silenced those spreading fake narrative on jobs,” PM Modi said in a veiled attack on the opposition that had made unemployment a key issue in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

“Those who spread fake narratives are enemies of investment, infrastructure development and enemies of the country’s growth. Their every policy is about betraying youth and stall employment. Now they are getting exposed as people are rejecting their lies,” the PM said.

PM Modi said skill development and employment are needed in the country and his government is working in this direction.

He said Maharashtra has a glorious history, a capable present and the dream of a prosperous future.

It is the state that has a critical role to play in Viksit Bharat as it has power of industry, agriculture and finance sector.

“My aim is to make Maharashtra the world’s big financial powerhouse and to make Mumbai a global fintech capital,” he said.

“Our aim is to improve everyone’s standard of living and make quality of life the best. This is why efforts are being made to better the connectivity of areas close to Mumbai,” the PM added.

The ground breaking of infrastructure works come months ahead of the state assembly polls.

The upcoming infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai will boost connectivity of the city with nearby areas, which ensures better facilities as well as safety for women, PM Modi pointed out.

The expansion of the metro rail network in the metropolis was going on at a rapid pace, rising from just 8 kilometres ten years ago to 80 kilometres now, while work on 200 kilometres is underway, the PM said.

In Maharashtra, the length of national highways has trebled, adding the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, which will act as a major east-west connector in the northern part of the city, was a fine example of balance between conserving nature and development.

The twin tunnels connecting Thane and Borivali will ensure the distance between the two areas will be covered in minutes, the PM said.

The Coastal Road and Atal Setu are now complete, the PM said, and recalled efforts by some to stall the sea bridge.

But now everyone realises how beneficial it is, the PM said about the Atal Setu, the country’s longest sea bridge connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Some 20,000 vehicles use it everyday and it is estimated that Rs 20-25 lakh worth of fuel is saved and people take less time to reach Panvel, the PM pointed out.

The transformation of railways is benefitting Mumbai and Maharashtra, he said.

The redevelopment works of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Ajni-Nagpur were happening at a rapid pace.

The new platforms at CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (two of the main junctions of Central Railway in Mumbai), have been inaugurated and will enable the railways to run 24-coach trains, the PM said.

The Centre has also approved the Rs 76000 crore Vadhavan port in Dahanu in Palghar, which will generate 10 lakh jobs, the PM said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emphasised that creation of eight crore new jobs in the last three to four years has “silenced” those spreading fake narratives about unemployment.

Quoting a recent report of Reserve Bank of India on the employment figure, the Prime Minister asserted the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government continues to prioritise stability and growth and added that small and big investors have welcomed the NDA’s third term with enthusiasm.

During the event launching projects costing Rs 29,000 crore in road, railway, and port sectors, PM Modi took a swipe at opposition parties for spreading misinformation on job creation, labelling them as hindrances to progress.

“This figure has silenced those spreading fake narrative on jobs,” PM Modi said in a veiled attack on the opposition that had made unemployment a key issue in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

“Those who spread fake narratives are enemies of investment, infrastructure development and enemies of the country’s growth. Their every policy is about betraying youth and stall employment. Now they are getting exposed as people are rejecting their lies,” the PM said.

PM Modi said skill development and employment are needed in the country and his government is working in this direction.

He said Maharashtra has a glorious history, a capable present and the dream of a prosperous future.

It is the state that has a critical role to play in Viksit Bharat as it has power of industry, agriculture and finance sector.

“My aim is to make Maharashtra the world’s big financial powerhouse and to make Mumbai a global fintech capital,” he said.

“Our aim is to improve everyone’s standard of living and make quality of life the best. This is why efforts are being made to better the connectivity of areas close to Mumbai,” the PM added.

The ground breaking of infrastructure works come months ahead of the state assembly polls.

The upcoming infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai will boost connectivity of the city with nearby areas, which ensures better facilities as well as safety for women, PM Modi pointed out.

The expansion of the metro rail network in the metropolis was going on at a rapid pace, rising from just 8 kilometres ten years ago to 80 kilometres now, while work on 200 kilometres is underway, the PM said.

In Maharashtra, the length of national highways has trebled, adding the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, which will act as a major east-west connector in the northern part of the city, was a fine example of balance between conserving nature and development.

The twin tunnels connecting Thane and Borivali will ensure the distance between the two areas will be covered in minutes, the PM said.

The Coastal Road and Atal Setu are now complete, the PM said, and recalled efforts by some to stall the sea bridge.

But now everyone realises how beneficial it is, the PM said about the Atal Setu, the country’s longest sea bridge connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Some 20,000 vehicles use it everyday and it is estimated that Rs 20-25 lakh worth of fuel is saved and people take less time to reach Panvel, the PM pointed out.

The transformation of railways is benefitting Mumbai and Maharashtra, he said.

The redevelopment works of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Ajni-Nagpur were happening at a rapid pace.

The new platforms at CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (two of the main junctions of Central Railway in Mumbai), have been inaugurated and will enable the railways to run 24-coach trains, the PM said.

The Centre has also approved the Rs 76000 crore Vadhavan port in Dahanu in Palghar, which will generate 10 lakh jobs, the PM said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

PM Modi received a warm welcome as he addressed the Indian community in Austria’s Vienna following his visit to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin. PM Modi arrived in Vienna after receiving an invite from Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

During the visit, PM Modi shook hands with the Indian community members and waved to the crowd, clearly moved by their reception.

#WATCH | Austria: Members of the Indian diaspora chant ‘Modi, Modi’ as Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets them at Sofiensäle in Vienna pic.twitter.com/mRUMskriNU

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2024

“For thousands of years, we have been sharing our knowledge and expertise. We didn’t give ‘Yuddha’ (war), we gave the world ‘Buddha’. India always gave peace and prosperity, and therefore India is going to strengthen its role in the 21st century,” PM Modi said in Austria.

“India and Austria are geographically on two different ends, but we have many similarities. Democracy connects both countries. Our shared values are liberty, equality, pluralism, and respect for the rule of law. Our societies are multicultural and multilingual. Both countries celebrate diversity, and a big medium to reflect these values are elections,” PM Modi further said as the crowd chanted “Modi, Modi” enthusiastically.

Mirzapur:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that he grew up washing cup plates and serving tea, adding that the relationship between Modi and tea is very deep.

“I grew up washing cups and plates as a child. I have grown up serving tea. The relationship between Modi and tea is also very deep,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Mirzapur today.

“No one wants to waste their vote on Samajwadi Party. No one will vote for someone who is drowning. The common man will vote only for the one whose government is certain to be formed. The country has come to know the people of the INDI alliance very well. These people are deeply communal. These people are extreme casteists. These people are extreme familyists. Whenever their government is formed, these people take decisions on this basis,” he added.

Slamming the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, the Prime Minister said that there are so many promising people in the Yadav community but he (Akhilesh) gave tickets only to his family members.

“These SP people used to release even those terrorists who were caught. The SP government used to suspend any police officer who was reluctant in this. They had made the entire UP and Purvanchal a haven for the mafia. Be it life or land, no one knew when it would be snatched away and in the SP government, the mafia was also seen as a vote bank,” PM Modi said.

He further asserted that CM Yogi is carrying forward the ‘Swachhta Abhiyan’ very bravely. The public was at the mercy of the SP government but now the mafia is trembling in the BJP government.

“The sacred Constitution of our country is also on their (INDI alliance) target. They want to loot the reservation of SC-ST-OBC. Our Constitution clearly says that there cannot be reservation based on religion. Samajwadi Party had released its manifesto during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2012. Then SP had said in its manifesto, just as Dalits and backward classes have got the reservation, similarly, Muslims will also be given reservation,” he added.

“SP had said that it would even change the Constitution for this. SP had announced that 15 per cent reservation will be given to Muslims in police and PAC also. How these people were bent on snatching away the rights of SC-ST-OBC to please their vote bank,” the Prime Minister said in Mirzapur.

PM Modi also emphasized that he is dedicated to the poor, Dalits and backward people.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Dhaurahra:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that he will not allow anyone to play with the Constitution, especially when it comes to the issue of reservation based on religion.

“The Constitution does not allow reservation on the basis of religion but the INDIA bloc, as part of its appeasement policy, is planning to give the share of reservation of SC/ST, OBC to Muslims. They also have an eye on your ‘mangalsutra‘, your field, your property because even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that Muslims have the first right on resources. The Congress wants to implement the Karnataka model of reservation in the country,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Dhaurahra.

PM Modi also slammed the Congress and the INDIA bloc, accusing them of planning to redistribute the country’s wealth to their vote bank.

“I will stand like a wall against them if they attempt to do this. They also say that they will bring back Article 370 in Kashmir but I will not allow that to happen,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister also said that the opposition bloc is also claiming to end the free ration scheme, stop free healthcare schemes for the poor, and remove Vande Bharat trains, if they come to power.

“Will they also convert Ram Mandir into a hospital or try to bulldoze the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor? To stop this, you will have to vote for BJP. Each vote that you cast for BJP will come to me. I have come to seek your blessings because I have much more work to do,” PM Modi said.

He said that the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh has added bitterness to the lives of sugarcane farmers while the current Yogi Adityanath-led government has removed all the shortcomings.

“Yogi Adityanath has given the same amount of money to sugarcane farmers in seven years that Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party did not give in 10 years of their rule,” said PM Modi, adding that the state government is also working on making the Dhaurahra area a hub for banana farming.

Referring to Nighasan-Dhaurahara and Gola-Shahjahanpur roads, PM Modi said that the people of Sitapur and Lakhimpur can be proud of the development that is taking place in their area.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Palamu:

Underscoring of providing corruption-free governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that not a single Rupee of corruption charges have been levelled against him during his tenure of 15 years when he was chief minister of Gujarat as well as during 10 years of his regime at the Centre

“I have been serving the country as CM and PM for nearly 25 years. In 25 years, Modi par ek paise ke ghotale ka aarop nhi laga. With your blessings, there is no allegation of corruption against me. The prayers of my mother and sisters are enough for me. I am still far from power, prestige, and comfort. Modi was born not for pleasure but for a mission,” PM Modi said stressing the importance of the trust placed in him by the people in Jharkhand’s Palamu on Saturday.

The Prime Minister underscored the remarkable progress India has witnessed under his leadership, citing the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya after 500 years and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as significant milestones.

“Today, India’s trumpet is sounding loud across the world. Whether it’s Naxalism or terrorism, now they are taking their last breaths,” PM Modi said, emphasizing the decisive action taken against these threats.

PM Modi also condemned the corrupt practices of the JMM-Congress alliance leaders and contrasted their self-serving motives with his vision for a developed India.

The Prime Minister also alleged that JMM and Congress leaders amassed vast wealth through corruption.

“Modi is born for a purpose. JMM-Congress leaders gathered enormous wealth through corruption. I don’t even own a bicycle. They are amassing everything for their children to inherit. But my heirs are all of you. Your children and grandchildren are my heirs. I want to give a ‘Viksit Bharat’ to your children. So that you don’t have to endure what my family and crores of such families have experienced,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister outlined the transformative impact of his government’s schemes on the lives of the poor and marginalized.

“In the last 10 years, Modi has given you a house, electricity, gas, water,” PM Modi said, urging the people to continue their support in the upcoming elections.

PM Modi reiterated his commitment to the welfare of every Indian and called upon the people of Palamu to vote for development and progress on May 13.

Elections in Jharkhand will be held in four phases: May 13, 20, 25, and June 1.

In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 12 seats in Jharkhand, with the BJP securing 11. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress each secured one seat.

The general elections are being conducted in seven phases over six weeks from April 19 to June 1.

Polling for the first phase and the second phase was conducted on April 19 and April 26, respectively. The next round of voting will take place on May 7. The results will be announced on June 4

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rajkot:

In a big boost to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, as many as 45 royal families have extended their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The members of the royal families gathered in Rajkot. 15-16 royal family members were present, while the others extended their letter of support for PM Modi.

Thakor Saheb of Rajkot Mandhata, Sinhji Jadeja, said that the members have gathered to discuss about the nation’s interest.

“It is undoubtedly a clear picture that the Rajput community and the former rulers have closely been associated with PM Narendra Modi. All the rulers are here because of PM Narendra Modi’s vision. His tech-savvy approach to take all mediums to take India to the next level of development,” Sinhji Jadeja told ANI.

His statement comes amid ongoing protests by Kshatriyas or Rajputs in Gujarat against Union Minister Parshottam Rupala’s controversial remarks against them.

On March 22, during an election campaign speech in Rajkot in Gujarat, Union Minister and Rajkot BJP candidate Parshottam Rupala triggered controversy when he praised the Dalits at the expense of the Kshatriyas or Rajputs.

Commenting on British rule, Rupala said, “Even kings and royals bowed down to the British, started family bonds with them, broke bread with them, and even married their daughters to them but this Rukhi Samaj (a Dalit community) did not budge. I salute them for their fortitude and strength. It is this strength that has kept Sanatana Dharma alive…Jai Bhim!” His reference to roti-beti vyavahar (breaking bread and entering into marital relations) caused anger that neither he nor the party anticipated in a State where the BJP enjoys near-complete dominance.

Speaking to ANI, Sinhji Jadeja said, “Today the ex-rulers of Saurashtra, Kachchh and Gujarat have gathered here to ponder over the nation’s interest at large, and how India in the international arena can keep its head held high.”

He appreciated the development in the country in the last 10 years and hailed PM Modi as a ‘global leader’.

“He is now a global leader, and it is without doubt that we give our fullest support to PM Modi,” he added.

Notably, Gujarat, the home state of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is a citadel of the BJP with the party winning all 26 seats in the last two general elections.

The state will vote for 25 out of 26 parliamentary seats in the Lok Sabha elections on May 7.

On the remaining constituency of Surat, BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected ‘unopposed’ after the nomination papers of the Congress party’s candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected, as his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer they had not signed his nomination form.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

A case has been registered against a reporter and a video journalist of a news channel for allegedly trespassing into a house to shoot visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a building near the airport, police said on Wednesday.

The complainant alleged that the duo forcibly entered his 11th-floor flat at Paywadi SRA Cooperative Society, close to the domestic terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in suburban Vile Parle (East), an official said.

PM Modi visited Mumbai on Monday morning.

As per complainant Mahesh Patel, a 61-year-old rickshaw driver, the duo told him that they had got permission from the housing society’s secretary and security guard to shoot visuals of the PM, and entered his flat without his consent, using force.

They shot visuals of the PM’s special aircraft and PM Modi himself from the flat’s window for some 15 minutes, he said.

A case was registered under sections 448 (house trespass), 188 (disobeying orders issued by a public servant), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code at Vile Parle police station but no arrest has been made, the police official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)