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Diversity is our pride: Modi at Wembley

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said diversity is India’s pride as he addressed a huge rally at London’s Wembley Stadium after a spectacle of dance and music witnessed by tens of thousands waving the tri-colour and chanting ‘Modi, Modi’ on Friday.

Tens of thousands of people packed Wembley Stadium, the home of British football, for the highlight of his three-day visit to Britain, the first by an Indian premier in almost a decade.

Modi was introduced by British Prime Minister David Cameron as a crowd of up to 60,000 roared at one of the UK’s most famous sporting venues. Modi described Cameron as a “friend of India” whose warm welcome made him feel at home. “It’s a historic day for the two great democracies,” the Prime Minister said.

India full of diversity, it is our pride and our strength

Facing attack back home over the issue of ‘intolerance’, Modi said the country’s “strength and pride” lies in India’s diversity as he underlined the importance of peaceful co-existence.

“India is full of diversity. This diversity is our pride and it is our strength. Diversity is the speciality of India,” he said, adding that despite the country being home to diverse religions, over 100 languages and 1,500 dialects Indians have proved how to live together.

Modi also said that there is no reason for India to remain poor, asserting. “we harbour poverty for no reason.”

The Prime Minister said the whole world is amazed how 125 crore people with so much diversity live peacefully with love and affection.

Modi, who was speaking against the backdrop of raging debate on “intolerance” in India, told the gathering during the course of his 75-minute address that newspaper and TV headlines are not the barometer to assess the country.

“India is not only that much what is seen in newspapers. India is much bigger. India with its 125 crore people is much bigger and better with a preeminent position beyond the screen of Television,” he said.

In this context, Modi referred to a youth Imran Khan of Alwar in Rajasthan who made 50 mobile applications and dedicated them to the students without charging anything.

“My India resides in people like Imran Khan,” he said.

Direct flight from Ahmedabad to London

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a direct flight from london.html”>Ahmedabad to London starting December 15 amid loud cheer from the Indian diaspora at the Wembley Stadium here.

The Prime Minister was addressing thousands of people, almost all of Indian origin, at a Grand Community reception in his honour at the iconic Wembley Stadium, home to rock concerts and England’s national soccer team. The event was themed ‘Two Great Nations, One Glorious Future’.

Courting the Indian diaspora with rock star-style tour on the second day of his three-day visit to the UK–the first by an Indian Premier in 10 years–, Modi got a rapturous welcome when he reached one of Britain’s most famous sporting venues this evening. An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people were present at the event, according to the organisers.

Addressing the problems faced by the diaspora on the issue of visas, Prime Minister Modi said that the OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) procedure would be simplified.

“We have merged OCI and PIO (Person of Indian Origin).This too has been simplified. Visa will now be electronically authorised. We have launched an online platform named MADAD. This online platform will make visa and OCI simpler,” he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the bond that the two countries share.

“Such is the bond between India and UK, that all you need to do is turn your watch upside down to know the time in India,” he said.

He also mentioned that this privilege was available only to India.

Reaching out to the diaspora, the Prime Minister said that the colour of the passports did not determine their relationship with the nation, but only their colour of blood.

“The country belongs to you as much as it belongs to Narendra Modi,” he said.

On Indo-UK relations, Modi said, “Between two vibrant democracies we are celebrating this very special relationships in this very special venue,” Modi stated.

“I was told London will be cold but not so cold. Your warm welcome makes me feel at home. I am grateful to PM Cameron for his kind words,” Modi said.

Modi, who acknowledged that terrorism is a challenge to both India and the UK, asserted that the Sufi tradition is the best antidote to terrorism and anybody who understood the message of this tenet would not have picked up the gun.

“Kabir and Rahim have been our inspirations. Sufi tradition is the best antidote to terrorism,” he said, adding the two main challenges facing the world today are terrorism and global warming.

Cameron sings Modi tune, says ‘acche din zaroor aayega’

Asserting that Modi has proved his critics wrong, British Prime Minister David Cameron said that his Indian counterpart has worked tremendously after forming the government in New Delhi and said ‘acche din zaroor aayega’.

Cameron said that Modi had rightly said ‘acche din aane wale hain’ prior to the elections in the country.

“They said a ‘chai wala’ would never govern the largest democracy, but he proved them wrong. He rightly said ‘acche din aane wale hain’. But with his energy, with his vision, with his ambition. I will go on further and say ‘ acche din zaroor aayega’,” he said amid a thumping applause from the crowd.

Expressing serious concern on the grave issue of terrorism, Cameron said India and the UK will together defeat the extremists.

“We face together the biggest threat of our generation, the terrorist threat, a threat to our very existence. And once again we stand shoulder by shoulder. You suffered on the streets of Mumbai, we suffered on the streets of London, the cause was same,” said Cameron.

Modi was introduced to the gathering by Cameron, whose wife Samantha, draped in a saree, was also present.

Performers at the gala included singer Kanika Kapoor and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Besides pop star Jay Sean and hitmaker ‘Baby Doll’ singer Kapoor, several classical, folk art and contemporary music performances were also part of the show.

(With inputs from agencies)

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