Hitting out at vandals who damaged government and private property during the protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that they should introspect whether the method of protest they adopted was right

“They should ask themselves was it right to damage property. What they damaged was it not used for their family members too. Have they spared a thought about those who were injured in the violence or what will happen to the families who lost their near and dear ones,”  Modi said by way of questioning while addressing a gathering after unveiling the statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University in the state capital to mark the 95th birth anniversary of the former prime minister on Wednesday.

The prime minister said that people should realise that rights and duties go hand in hand.

“Every citizen of the country has the right to better public facilities but it is also their duty to protect them. By indulging in violence after believing in rumours, they are only harming themselves,” Modi said.

The prime minister said that good governance for his government meant that everyone should be heard, facilities should reach every citizen, every Indian should get an opportunity, security should be experienced by every person and accessibility should be ensured in every system of government.

On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Modi said that providing citizenship to those who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to “save the dignity of their daughters”, was another problem whose solution was found by 130 crore Indians.

“With this self-confidence, Hindustanis are entering a new decade. Whatever is left to be done, all Indians are trying to find a solution,” he said.

Referring to abrogation of Article 370, Modi said that it was an “old disease” that was resolved peacefully.

“How old a disease was Article 370. How difficult it appeared. But it was our responsibility to make efforts to resolve such difficult challenges. And, it was done easily. “Sabki dhaarnaye choor choor ho gayi’ (everyone’s perception was smashed),” he said.

“Similarly, Ram Janmabhoomi issue was also resolved peacefully. However big the challenge may be, it is in our nature to challenge the challenge,” he said.

Addressing a programme at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow, Modi said that the grand statue of Atal ji would serve as an inspiration for good governance to the people.

The prime minister said that Atal ji used to say that in the future, we will be evaluated on two things — how we solved problems that we inherited and how strong have we laid the foundation for the nation’s development with our efforts. He said Vajpayee ji had started numerous schemes for Lucknow and he started various programmes to give it a new identity.

Modi further said, “I am extremely fortunate to lay the foundation stone of Atal Bihari Medical University.”

On health facilities, the prime minister said that the government had resolved to work on preventive healthcare, expand affordable healthcare, supply side interventions or ensuring supply in view of every demand and mission mode intervention, that is, running schemes associated with health in mission mode.

“Right from Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to Yoga, Ujjwala to Fit India Movement and giving impetus to Ayurveda, every such initiative is contributing immensely to prevent diseases,” he said.

The prime minister said that good governance was not possible until one saw issues and problems in totality or integrity. “This is true for a government as well as governance. Vajpayee ji used to say that life cannot be seen in pieces, it needs to be seen in totality,” he said.

Claiming that Ayushman Bharat Yojana was the world’s largest healthcare scheme, Modi said that so far 70 lakh people had benefited from it.

“Whenever poor people used to suffer from serious illness, they used to consider it better to start waiting for death but Ayushman Bharat Yojana has given them a new lease of life,” he claimed.

Modi said that medical seats had been increased in large numbers in the past five years while about 75 medical colleges had been approved this year.

The prime minister further said that ‘Atal Bhoojal Yojana’ was also launched in New Delhi on Wednesday and under the Rs 6,000-crore scheme, work would be done to improve ground-water level in seven states of the country, including Uttar Pradesh.

On Atal medical university, Modi said that it would provide affiliation to government, semi-government and private colleges, and help in improving the quality of medical education in Uttar Pradesh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor  Anandiben Patel also spoke on the occasion.