Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025 in New Delhi, delivered a sharp critique of past governance models and the colonial-era mindset, which he said constrained India’s progress for decades.
He argued that previous administrations did not have faith in their own citizens, pointing to the cumbersome requirement of official attestations for even basic documents.
“Our government broke that way of working. A citizen’s self-attested document is enough to prove its authenticity,” PM Modi declared, presenting the reform as a symbol of a broader shift towards governance based on public trust and empowerment.
By reducing bureaucratic hurdles, he highlighted the government’s commitment to simplifying administrative processes and placing faith in the abilities of ordinary citizens.
The Prime Minister also aimed for the historical label ‘Hindu rate of growth’, coined in the 1970s to describe India’s low annual economic growth of 2-3 per cent. He argued that the phrase unfairly stigmatised an entire society, branding it as unproductive and poor.
“The entire country was given the tag of unproductivity, poverty. There were attempts to prove that the reason for the slow progress of India is Hindu sabhyata, Hindu culture,” Prime Minister Modi stated, noting that such narratives reflected a colonial mentality aimed at undermining India’s civilisational identity.
He questioned whether communalism had gone unnoticed during those times, suggesting that the imposition of such labels indicated a deeper prejudice against India’s traditions and cultural ethos.
Promoting Self-Confidence and Cultural Pride
Prime Minister Modi urged citizens to shed the ‘slave mentality’ inherited from colonial rule and to embrace India’s own path to development.
By highlighting the shift from attestation to self-attestation, he illustrated how governance can empower rather than burden citizens.
PM Modi rejected the ‘Hindu rate of growth’ label and presented India’s economic trajectory on its own terms, free from colonial frameworks.
The Prime Minister’s remarks wove together administrative reforms, economic confidence, and civilisational pride. He envisioned a self-confident India, celebrating cultural identity as a source of strength, trusting its citizens, and simplifying governance.
PM Modi’s address underscored the government’s broader aim of fostering citizen empowerment while asserting India’s unique historical and cultural identity on the global stage.
Also Read: PM Modi Urges Citizens To Overcome ‘Slavery Mindset’; Emphasises Governance Built On Trust
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