On National Unity Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is progressing towards a unified, “secular” civil code. Speaking near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Narmada district, he emphasized India’s move towards “one nation, one civil code” to promote equality and unity.
Modi also took a firm stance against “urban Naxals,” claiming they aim to weaken India by creating societal divisions. He urged citizens to “unmask” these forces who, he said, seek to tarnish India’s global image by criticizing even the nation’s defense forces.
The PM’s speech marked Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary, celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day. Modi lauded Patel’s commitment to national unity, asserting that his ideals continue to guide India’s governance. The government, he added, has dedicated the past decade to unifying India following Patel’s principles.
Modi criticized previous administrations for policies that he said encouraged discrimination, weakening India’s unity. The past decade of governance, he argued, has fostered equality through initiatives like GST, Aadhaar, and Ayushman Bharat, each promoting “one nation” policies. Future steps, he announced, will include “one nation, one election,” aimed at strengthening democracy. Modi also pointed to the repeal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as a step toward “one nation, one Constitution,” bringing the region under India’s unified legal framework.
Modi also praised Jammu and Kashmir’s newly elected government for endorsing the Indian Constitution, noting that, for the first time, a J&K chief minister took an oath under India’s Constitution. He highlighted how the region’s people rejected separatist forces, emphasizing that Article 370’s removal was a historic milestone toward equality for Jammu and Kashmir’s residents.
Focusing on India’s evolving national security, Modi warned of “urban Naxals” who spread disunity in the name of caste and creed. While Naxalism in rural areas has declined, he said urban Naxal groups now seek to divide India, especially through misinformation. He called on citizens to recognize these forces, likening them to past Naxal movements that sought to destabilize India.
Modi concluded by praising the NDA government’s progress in promoting peace across India, particularly in the Northeast, where dialogue and development have quelled separatist tensions. He commended the region’s transition to peace, saying, “In the Northeast, we have doused the fire of separatists through dialogue, development, and trust.”
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