PM Narendra Modi addressed the Indian community in Japan
Tokyo:
Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian community in Tokyo, Japan. The Prime Minister is on a five-day bilateral trip to the Asian country.
He spoke at length about India's culture and tourism and requested more people to visit India as tourists.
These are the highlights from his speech:
He spoke at length about India's culture and tourism and requested more people to visit India as tourists.
These are the highlights from his speech:
- My aim is to create a clean India.
- Mahatma Gandhi never compromised on cleanliness. I told my countrymen that he helped us win our freedom -- what have we done for him? We should do something to honour him and that is why I want to tell Indians to work towards 'Swacch Bharat' in 2019.
- So if you write to your folks back in India. I know you do not write letters anymore. You must be connected on WhatsApp or have made friends on Twitter. It is important to get the message across no matter what the medium.
- Wherever the Indian community went there has been no complaint from society there.
- This is no mean feat. And we are very proud of it.
- In fact, we hear the Indians are simple, they contribute to the growing economy too. The credit for this goes to you.
- People when they come to the embassy may not understand what India is about. But they get to know that the moment they meet you.
- We used to play with snakes, now we play with 'mouse'. When we move a mouse, the whole world moves.
- India not a nation of snake charmers anymore.
- I want Indians in any part of the world to have this feeling. Indians in the Carribean have built nations but they still maintain their connections to India.
- At least when we sit together for our evening meal, can we try and talk in our mother tongues? It may be a small thing but it is of great importance.
- I had gone to Taiwan many years ao.. I wasn't in this government job then.
- I was given an interpreter. For the first 5-6 days, he was stiff, maintained protocol but then he opened up and asked me 'does black magic still exist in India or are there still snake charmers?'
- I am happy Japan trusted us. Trust is such a chemical that forms deeper bonds of friendship than Fevicol.
- There have been may achievements on this trip. Indians are discussing trillion for the first time. We have heard million and billion earlier.
- Japan is going to invest 3.5 trillion Yen or almost 35 Billion dollars or 2 lakh, 10 thousand crore rupees.
- I am from Gujarat but now am serving Varanasi. I have been elected an MP from Varanasi.
- Both Varanasi and Kyoto are old cities - in Kyoto, they've been able to modernize the city maintaining its spiritual centre.
- I believe in the days to come as with Japan's help, we will be able to modernize Varanasi.
This trip was very successful. - I don't know what will be the reaction back home... there will be a television debate.
- All my secular friends will say 'don't know what Modi thinks of himself'. I don't know why such topics are debated.
- When I met the Emperor, I gave him the Bhagawad Gita because I have nothing more valuable to give and the world has nothing more valuable to get.
- To take this friendship forward, I see a global dimension.
- I am no diplomat but by vision and common understanding tells me -- the whole world says 21st century is Asia's century. That is confirmed but how the 21st century will shape we don't know - and that depends on what kind a a friendship India and Japan has -- and what values can we promote.
- Could you try by your individual efforts to motivate 5 Japanese families to come visit India as tourists? What the government of India cannot do, you can do to promote tourism. If Japanese families come to India, will tea sellers not be able to sell more tea? Do you not want that chaiwallahs are able to sell their chai?
- I don't know whether as yen, pounds or dollars - but there are many other ways in which you can serve the country.
