Modi government following footsteps of Father of the Nation: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi envisioned a 'strong, prosperous and clean' India and the Modi government is following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation and rolling schemes based on his ideas, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday.

The defence minister made the remarks after inaugurating a 10-feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Rajghat in the national capital.

"Gandhiji was a great freedom fighter who envisioned a strong, prosperous and clean India. Our government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation," he said.

"Schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and Swachh Bharat are based on his ideas," he said.

Mahatma Gandhi continues to live in the heart of every Indian, he said.

Singh also recalled the contributions of Gandhi and other leaders such as Babasaheb B R Ambedkar and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, saying they worked for the upliftment of the marginalised sections with patriotism and commitment.

"These great people are the guiding light for our government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is built on their dreams," he said.

"Our ideology is of peace, social harmony, unity, and bringing about a change based on development,” he added.

Singh said that due importance is being given to the marginalised sections by the government, stating that they are now making a mark in almost every sector.

He described the marginalised sections as the largest aspirational class of the country, stressing on the need to do away with the 'noun' being used to identify them.

It is time to coin a new noun or vocabulary, which can define the aspirations of these sections, Singh said.

The defence minister asserted the Modi government's focus has always been on planned progress and that the approach has resulted in India becoming the fifth largest economy in the world.

He termed Gandhiji not only a freedom fighter, but also an economic thinker who believed 'The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed', according to an official release.

"Ever since our Government came to power, our endeavour is not only to uplift the people belonging to the weaker sections, but also to empower them. Growth of all sections alike will strengthen the security landscape of the country," the defence minister said.