Diversity India’s strength, pride: PM Modi

To huge cheers, Cameron introduces Modi at grand Wembley show

Facing attack back home in India over the issue of intolerance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India’s diversity was the country’s “strength and pride”, and underlined the importance of peaceful co-existence.

Mr Modi also said there was no reason for India to remain poor, asserting that “we harbour poverty for no reason”.“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 had proved how to live together.

Mr Modi 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 a rockstar-style tour on the second day of his three-day visit to Britain, the first by an Indian PM in 10 years, Mr Modi got a rapturous welcome when he reached one of Britain’s most famous sporting venues Friday evening. An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people were present at the event, the organisers claimed.

“Your warm welcome makes me feel home,” Mr Modi told the biggest gathering of the Indian diaspora he has ever addressed since assuming office in May 2014.

Mr Modi was introduced to the gathering by British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose wife Samantha, draped in a sari, was also present. Mr Cameron greeted the audience with a “namaste”, which drew loud cheers and followed up with another greeting “‘kem cho (how are you) Wembley” in Gujarati. He renewed his pitch for India getting a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

“When it comes to the UN we know what needs to happen — India with a permanent seat at the UN Security Council,” Mr Cameron said, to loud cheers.

Britain has a 1.5 million-strong Indian diaspora. The event was held in a carnival atmosphere following celebrations for the Diwali festival. Performers included Indian-origin pop star Jay Sean, popular Bollywood singer “Baby Doll” Kanika Kapoor and Alisha Chinai, who belted out her famous Made in India Hindi number of the 1990s, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

A dynamic cultural show showcasing dance styles across India, besides a variety of dance mixes with Bollywood songs, was on display. The audience also heard classical, folk art and contemporary music performances. There was also a performance by Scottish bagpipers. Special “ModiExpress” buses were deployed to transport the attendees from across the UK to the venue.

Mr Modi, who acknowledged terrorism was a challenge toboth India and the UK, asserted that the Sufi tradition was 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. The Sufi tradition is the best antidote to terrorism,” he said, adding that the two main challenges facing the world today were terrorism and global warming.

Addressing the issue of terrorism, Mr Cameron said this was a threat to the very existence of the two countries and they stood shoulder-to-shoulder to tackle it, reminding the gathering about the Mumbai and London attacks.

Mr Modi said his experience in office in 18 months had made it clear to him that there was no reason for India to remain poor. “There is no reason for India to remain poor, we harbor poverty for no reason. I wonder why we have started pampering povery,” he said, adding that India’s demographic profile was predominantly of youth and hence nobody could stall the country’s development.

“65 per cent of the population of the country consists of people below 35 years. India is full of youth and a country which has so many youth cannot continue to lag behind. Nobody can halt its march to development,” he said.

Later in his speech, in which he invoked the name of Mahatma Gandhi several times and referred to the long period he had spent in Britain, Mr Modi also announced the launch of a direct flight between London and Ahmedabad from December 15.

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

“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,” Mr Modi said. “I want to thank PM Cameron and acknowledge the affection he has towards India,” he added. Earlier on Friday, Mr Modi called on Queen Elizabeth II, who hosted a luncheon for him at Buckingham Palace.