New Delhi, 07 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed 25 years as the head of a government, prompting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Ministers Jagat Prakash Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Giriraj Singh, Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, along with chief ministers of several states, to extend their greetings and best wishes to him. Prime Minister Modi began his journey as the head of a government by taking oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001. He became the Prime Minister of India in 2014.

Congratulating Prime Minister Modi on X, Om Birla said that completing 25 years as the head of a government with a commitment to putting the nation first and promoting public welfare was an inspiring saga of unwavering dedication to the nation. He said Modi's journey, from setting new benchmarks in good governance as Gujarat Chief Minister to giving a new direction to India as the country's Pradhan Sevak, had been remarkable.

Om Birla said the Prime Minister had consistently emphasised upholding the dignity of the Constitution and constitutional institutions, while encouraging democratic dialogue and consensus in Parliament. He said numerous initiatives, ranging from Antyodaya to self-reliance, welfare of the poor to an empowered India, and development to the preservation of heritage, had laid a new foundation for the country's progress.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Prime Minister Modi's 25-year journey in public life had become synonymous with national service, good governance and public welfare. He said the journey, which began on October 7, 2001, with Modi taking oath as Gujarat Chief Minister, had progressed with the guiding principle of Nation First, Always First. Under his leadership, welfare-oriented initiatives had expanded significantly, providing crores of people with basic necessities such as homes, water, toilets, cooking-gas connections and banking facilities.

Rajnath Singh said good governance had been strengthened under the Prime Minister's leadership and India was moving towards self-reliance. Employment and opportunities for young people, entrepreneurship, startups and innovation had received a major boost. He said Modi's 25-year journey was not a full stop, but a milestone on the path of continued service to the nation.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Prime Minister Modi's 25 years in public life represented a journey of translating resolve into action. From Gujarat to the office of Prime Minister, his journey had remained closely connected with the aspirations of the people. He described it as a journey of service, commitment and an unwavering resolve to build a Viksit Bharat.

Union Minister Nadda said Prime Minister Modi's 25 years dedicated to national interest and public service were a symbol of unwavering commitment. He said the commitment to bringing positive change to the lives of the poor, deprived and backward sections of society by making Antyodaya the guiding objective had been an important aspect of Modi's public journey. Under his leadership, India had taken several steps towards development, self-reliance and strengthening its position at the global level.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the Prime Minister's journey, which began on October 7, 2001, as one associated with national service, public welfare and the creation of a developed and self-reliant India. He said the Prime Minister's hard work, efforts, patience and enthusiasm were an inspiration to everyone and wished him good health and a long life.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said Prime Minister Modi had completed 25 years in public life by treating service as a form of devotion, placing the nation above everything else and making public welfare the purpose of his life. He said that throughout the journey from Gujarat Chief Minister to Prime Minister of India, resolve, good governance and service had remained intertwined. Efforts had been made to connect development with the lives of ordinary people through the welfare of the poor, women's empowerment, the strength of youth and the creation of a self-reliant India.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri linked the Prime Minister's 25-year journey with an approach focused on finding solutions amid challenges and turning crises into opportunities. He said India had faced difficult circumstances, including the global energy crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also referred to India's experience in disaster management and Operation Maitri, launched following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh referred to the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha organised in Begusarai, Bihar, to mark Prime Minister Modi's 25 years in public life, saying that considerable enthusiasm and curiosity were visible among the people regarding the programme. He linked the public response to the people's sentiment towards the country's development under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, referring to Prime Minister Modi offering prayers at the Shri Vinayak Mandir on the occasion of completing 25 years of public service, said that with the blessings of Lord Ganesha, the journey of national service should continue to pave the way for India's progress and public welfare. Prime Minister Modi visited the Shri Vinayak Mandir in New Delhi on Wednesday and offered prayers as he completed 25 years as the head of a government.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said Prime Minister Modi's journey of public service, which began on October 7, 2001, when he became Gujarat Chief Minister, had reached a proud milestone of 25 years. He said the journey had been a continuous endeavour to realise the commitment of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. Yadav referred to the handling of the COVID-19 crisis, the abrogation of Article 370, action against Left-wing extremism, and schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma extended greetings to Prime Minister Modi on behalf of the people of Rajasthan on the completion of his 25 years in public life. He linked Modi's journey from Gujarat Chief Minister to the country's Pradhan Sevak with good governance and transparency, and referred to initiatives undertaken in Gujarat in areas such as water scarcity, girls' education, industry and agriculture.

Sharma said that over the past 25 years, India had made progress in areas ranging from roads, railways and digital infrastructure to defence production, space and semiconductors. He said Rajasthan was committed to helping realise Prime Minister Modi's vision of a Viksit Bharat and wished him good health, longevity and continued guidance.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar