New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday participated in the unveiling of a statue of Bharat Ratna and late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh's Annamayya district.
The event was held as part of the BJP’s 'Atal–Modi Good Governance Yatra’, during which the Chief Minister also addressed a public gathering.
Addressing the audience, CM Dhami said he felt honoured to participate in the programme organised by the Andhra Pradesh BJP during the birth centenary year of former PM Vajpayee.
He described former PM Vajpayee as a towering statesman whose life exemplified nationalism, democratic values and deep humanism.
Recalling Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as the country's Prime Minister, he said India achieved several historic milestones under his leadership, including the Pokhran nuclear tests, the Golden Quadrilateral highway project, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the telecom Revolution.
He noted that former PM Vajpayee successfully ran a coalition government, proving that political differences could be bridged when national interest was paramount.
Chief Minister Dhami said former PM Vajpayee’s ideals continue to inspire the present-day governance model under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He added that initiatives such as Startup India, Make in India, Digital India and Vocal for Local have strengthened India’s march towards self-reliance and inclusive development.
Chief Minister Dhami said India today is emerging as a leading global economic power, while also making rapid progress in defence, space and infrastructure sectors.
He claimed that during PM Modi-led Union government’s tenure, nearly 99 per cent of villages have been connected by roads, alongside significant improvements in health, education and transport.
Highlighting cultural and spiritual revival, CM Dhami said unprecedented work has been carried out to preserve India's civilisational heritage, citing the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakal Lok in Ujjain and the redevelopment of Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines.
He also referred to major policy decisions such as the abrogation of Article 370, abolition of triple talaq, implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and amendments to Waqf laws, saying these steps strengthened the vision of "Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat".
The Uttarakhand Chief Minister praised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the state's development initiatives, including the Polavaram project and upcoming industrial and semiconductor units.
He added that inspired by former PM Vajpayee, Uttarakhand's creation became possible and, under Prime Minister Modi's guidance, the state is now advancing rapidly in education, healthcare, employment and good governance.
--IANS
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