'Perform, Reform, Transform': PM Sets Pitch For 2024 Battle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid out the contours of next year's general elections, giving an account of his politics of "perform, reform, and transform" which he said had replaced the politics of instability, and exuding confidence that he would deliver the Independence Day address at Red Fort in 2024 as well.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The PM underlined that the country needs to fight "three evils corruption, dynastic politics and appeasement" - which he said have prevented social justice and stalled progress, and stressed that the answer to them was adopting "probity, transparency, and objectivity".

"Some anomalies in the last 75 years that have taken root have become part of our society that sometimes we shut our eyes to. Now is not the time to do that. If we have to realise our dreams and achieve our aspirations, then we have to stop playing hide and seek and look it straight in the eye and have to fight three evils," he said.

He said no questions can be raised on the policies and intentions of the government. "I am here to ask for your help. I have come to seek your blessings. From what I have understood about this country and the needs of this country and based on my experience I can say we have to take something seriously. During the Amrit Kaal when the country will be celebrating 100 years of Independence, it should be a developed country. We should not step back or stall even for a minute and for that we need suchita, pardarshita, nishpakshta...," he said.

Modi then elaborated on each of the "three evils".