BUSINESS Houses Also Contribute To Nation’s Growth Engine Like farmers, Artisans & Labourers, Says PM Modi

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has slammed the Opposition who taunted him as a “friend of capitalists” and said that he is not shamed for meeting industrialists and capitalists openly because his intentions are honest. “Those who blame me for befriending industrialists are the same people who also met these corporate honchos when they were in power behind closed doors. Modi, who was speaking at a gala function after  launching  81 projects  valued at  over 60, 0000 crore  INR for Uttar Pradesh , pointed  towards   Amar Singh sitting  among  the audience  and said he could  prove whether “I am Wrong”. Like farmers, factory workers and daily wage earners industrialists also contributed India’s growth story. Why we should single out entrepreneurs for hating, he said .

Agar neeyat saaf ho to kisi ke saath khade ho, daag nahin lagta,” he said. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, PM Modi said that Gandhiji was never apologetic about his friendship with industrialists. “Gandhi stood with Birla without any hesitation,” he said. Incidentally, Birlas had donated a house in Luyten’s  Delhi to Gandhiji where he was assassinated on January 30, 1948.  He said industrialists were equal partners in the development of the nation just like farmers, artisans, banker, financers, government employees and labourers and deserved to be respected.  “Inki bhi bhoomika hoti hai. Apmanit karenge? Kaun sa tariqa hai? Jo galat hain woh toh desh chhod kar chale gaye hain,” he said. Mr Modi said that the industry’s investment in agriculture was just one per cent, which was the lowest among other countries. He said that during a recent visit to Mumbai, he met industrialists and made a presentation before them, explaining how they could invest in agriculture to add value to the farmers produce by spending on projects which would benefit them as well as farmers. Terming the launch of 81 investment projects with over Rs 60,000 crore at a Ground Breaking Ceremony in the presence of top industrialists, PM said it not only a groundbreaking event but also a record-breaking one. The projects are expected to give a big boost to industrialisation besides creating job opportunities and ancillary industries. These projects have the potentials of creating over two lakh new jobs, UP Minister for Industries Satish Mahana said. About  80 leading industrialists, including Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla group, Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani group, Subhash Chandra, chairman of Essel group and Sanjeev Puri, MD, ITC, and top magnates of other major business houses participated in the event  which was held  close on the heels of ‘Investors Summit’ in February this year.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who led the state in holding the successful investors’’ summit earlier this year, said climate was very favourable for them to set up their projects in the state.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who represents the Lucknow  in the Lok Sabha, assured on behalf of the Centre additional security for the ambitious projects in case of any requirement.”I can give you this assurance as the country’s home minister,” he said.Earlier PM said  the nation is becoming a hub of mobile manufacturing for the world. Uttar Pradesh is leading this manufacturing revolution. More than 50 mobile manufacturing companies are functioning in UP & the largest mobile manufacturing unit in the world has also been established in  UP, he added.