Noting that India's diversity reflects its strong democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he represents a country that has the pride of being referred to as the "mother of democracy".
Addressing the 76th UNGA session here on Saturday, the Prime Minister referred to his own rise from humble origins and noted that he will be completing 20 years as "head of government" in his roles as the Prime Minister and before that as Chief Minister of Gujarat.
He said India has dozens of languages and hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles and cuisine.
"India's diversity reflects the country's strong democracy. It is a country that has dozens of languages and hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles and cuisine. This is the best example of a vibrant democracy. This is the strength of the democracy that a little boy who at one time helped his father at tea stall is today addressing the UNGA for the fourth time as Prime Minister," he said.
"As the longest-serving chief minister of Gujarat and as Prime Minister for the past seven years, I will be completing 20 years serving my countrymen as a head of government. I am saying it with my experience--Yes, Democracy can deliver. Yes, Democracy has delivered," he added.
PM Modi was sworn in for his second successive term on May 2019 after serving as the Prime Minister of India from 2014 to 2019. He is the first Prime Minister to be born after Independence. He has also been the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat with his term spanning from October 2001 to May 2014.
PM Modi will complete 20 years serving as the head of government next month.
The Prime Minister arrived in New York on Friday evening for the final leg of the US visit. He left from Washington on Friday after a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden and after attending the Quad Summit.
PM Modi reached Washington on Wednesday for a three-day visit to the country, his first beyond neighbourhood since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister also held bilateral meetings with US Vice President Kamala Harris and his Australian and Japanese counterparts Scott Morrison and Yoshihide Suga during his visit.
( With inputs from ANI )
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