Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the target of a Swachh Bharat (Clean India) cannot be achieved by 1,000 Mahatma Gandhis, one lakh Narendra Modis and all the country's chief ministers coming together but by the unity of its 125 crore people.
Modi was addressing an event at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi to mark the three years of the Centre's Swachh Bharat Mission, coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.
The country has come a long way since but a lot remain to be done before the “Clean India” target could be achieved, the Prime Minister said. Media and the civil society have played an important role in propagating the importance of cleanliness, he said.
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There is a need for introspection if the programme has not gained the desired momentum despite all-round support, he said.
Modi said the issue of cleanliness should be looked at from the prism of women, who face difficulties due to lack of toilets, and lauded children for being the ambassador of the government's flagship programme.
We cannot achieve the target (of a Clean India) even if 1,000 Mahatma Gandhis, one lakh Narendra Modis, chief ministers and all governments come together. We can achieve it (only) when all 125 crore countrymen come together.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
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Cleanliness can help India become a superior country, Modi said, urging the public against politicisation of the cause. He also asked people to not discourage those who practise cleanliness if the government was telling them to do so. "There are several other issues to criticise Modi. (Some) people will give you thousand issues to do so...But do not discourage those who are maintaining cleanliness."
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