Years of notable transformation, inclusion: Modi on NDA@11

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed 11 years of the NDA rule as "a period of remarkable transformation", with the ruling BJP crediting him for changing India's political culture by ending politics of appeasement and ushering politics of performance.

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As the government marked 11 years in office, the PM said his dispensation had delivered groundbreaking changes with speed, scale and sensitivity even as the BJP claimed its government would complete the current term and "even the next one."

The PM spoke of his Council of Ministers as an example of inclusion, noting that 60 per cent ministers belonged to SC, ST and OBC segments.

"From economic growth to social uplift, we prioritised people-centric, inclusive and all-round progress. India today is not just the fastest-growing major economy but also a key global voice on climate action and digital innovation," said the PM, promising to build a "developed India by 2047".

The BJP also came out to present its 11-year report card with party president JP Nadda describing the scale of NDA's achievements as "extraordinary and unimaginable, one fitting of being etched in golden letters".

"Eleven years ago the country was running on politics of appeasement and divisions meant solely to retain political power and chair. PM Modi has changed that culture and established a new normal with his politics of performance, responsiveness, responsibility and transparency," Nadda said, adding that Modi had shifted national gear from pessimism to optimism and shown people that anything was possible.

The BJP chief spoke of decisiveness as the hallmark of the NDA government, counting the following among bold political reforms and decisions — abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, criminalisation of triple talaq, demonetisation, and enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act, Women's Reservation Act and Waqf Amendment Act.

"Triple talaq was a travesty of justice, a provision that did not even exist in Muslim-dominated nations. We ended this... There was a narrative that Article 370 cannot be abrogated but we revoked it and saw 63 per cent voting in the J&K Assembly elections," said Nadda, reiterating the government's new war doctrine, which would treat a terrorist attack as an act of war.

Flanked by top party leadership — general secretaries Sunil Bansal and Arun Singh, minister Ashwani Vaishnaw and media chief Anil Baluni — Nadda said, "The NDA will complete the current as well as the next term."

He attacked Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi for "maligning the Election Commission" and used a cricket analogy to question the Congress senior.

"This is irresponsible conduct. When you win in Himachal and Karnataka, it is fine. When you lose, there is a problem. This is like when you win a cricket match, you say you are great players, and when you lose, you say the umpire is biased," Nadda said, dismissing the Congress' criticism about the PM's absence from the press conference circuit through these 11 years of rule.

"Is it not good that the BJP president is addressing the press?" Nadda said on Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's questions about the PM not addressing a press conference all these years.

Overall, the BJP dismissed the Opposition's criticisms as "motivated and irresponsible" and listed copious data to make the case that the NDA's 11 years would serve as the foundation for 'Viksit Bharat'.

Nadda also said the government would fulfil the pledge of "one nation, one election".

On the economic side too, he hailed India's emergence as a country with fiscal discipline and said we are the fifth largest economy and set to be the fourth.

Key figures Nadda cited in favour of NDA rule were — 25 crore people lifted out of poverty; reduction in left wing extremism-affected districts from 126 to 18; prevention of Rs 3.9 lakh crore leakages with the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar & mobile) trinity, 67 per cent increase in per capita income, 135 per cent increase in foreign exchange reserves, record export levels reaching USD 825 billion, 106 per cent increase in FDI, 127 per cent rise in the number of taxpayers and 238 per cent growth in direct tax collection.