BRUSSELS : Expressing disappointment at the lack of a united response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi regretted that the United Nations has not been able to come up with “a structured response” to terrorism. “The UN has not been able to fulfill its responsibility in this regard, and has not come up with a suitable resolution,” Mr Modi said, warning that the institutions which did not evolve appropriate response to emerging situations, “risked irrelevance.” Addressing the Indian Community in the Belgian capital last night, Mr Modi said India will never bow to terrorism. He also said India had long faced this scourge for forty years while the world went on to describe this as a mere law and order problem, until, 9/11 happened. It was because of lack of clarity and unanimity on the definition of terrorism that despite being a huge threat, the world was not able to deliver a appropriate response to terror. The terms such as “good terrorism” and “bad terrorism” only ended up strengthening it, the Prime Minister contended. Emphasising the need to de-link religion from terrorism, the Prime Minister said he has spoken to many world leaders and recalled the Global Sufi Conference in New Delhi recently where liberal Islamic scholars had denounced terrorism. He said this approach was essential to stop radicalisation and the right atmosphere need to be created to end terror. Speaking of India’s policy towards its neighbours, the Prime Minister said the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh was an example of how contentious issues could be resolved peacefully. The Prime Minister also paid tributes and offered condolences to the families of the victims who fell victim to terror attack in Brussels on 22 March. “Terrorism as a challenge to humanity, the need of the hour is for all humanitarian forces to join hands to fight it.” Describing the Indian community as the “Lokdoot” of India, the Prime Minister also listed several decisions taken by his government for the benefit of NRIs. He invited them to be part of India’s growth story. He spoke of suggestions he had received on India-Belgium relations on his Narendra Modi app. Mr Modi said India offered a ray of hope to the whole world which is passing through an economic crisis. He said India has become the fastest growing large economy in the world, and this is not because of good fortune, but this has happened despite two successive drought years. Enumerating several policy measures taken by his government to lend impetus to growth of Indian economy and welfare of people, Mr Modi said poor had been provided LPG connections. He said this was largely due to the give-it-up campaign for the well-off to surrender their LPG subsidy, and 90 lakh people had done so. He said that maximum production of power and coal also happened in 2015. He said that investment in Railways has been enhanced substantially, because he believes that the Railways can be the backbone of the Indian economy. He said car production and software exports had also reached a record number in 2015. The Prime Minster said 21 crore new bank accounts have been opened as a part of the financial inclusion drive. He explained how the concept of Jandhan Aadhar Mobile had helped reduce corruption and leakages in LPG subsidy. He said over 18,000 villages had remained unelectrified after nearly seven decades of Independence, and he had promised to have them electrified within 1000 days. He expressed satisfaction that over 7000 such villages had been electrified till now. Mr Modi also mentioned a pick up in the pace of road construction. He said the whole world was surprised when he had announced a target of 175 GW of renewable energy, and the country was now on track to achieve it. He said the commitment to deliver One Rank, One Pension for the Armed Forces had also been fulfilled. (AGENCIES)
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