PM Modi slams ‘Hindu rate of growth’ label, calls for end to colonial mindset at HT Leadership Summit

“There is an attempt to malign the Hindu way of life by terming India’s slow growth a few decades ago as the Hindu rate of growth,” the Prime Minister said, adding that today’s India projects confidence and resilience at a time when the global landscape is marked by uncertainty.

Reflecting on the first quarter of the 21st century, PM Modi noted that the world has endured multiple shocks, from financial crises to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yet, India has distinguished itself as a source of stability, he said.

“When the world talks about slowdown, India writes stories of growth. When the world faces a trust crisis, India becomes a pillar of trust,” he said.

He added that India today acts as a “bridge builder” in a deeply fragmented global order.

Aiming at earlier administrations, the Prime Minister said previous systems “did not have faith in their own citizens.”

He highlighted his government’s shift toward trust-based governance, noting that self-attestation of documents is now sufficient for many official processes.

“The biggest strength of any government is the trust its citizens put in it,” PM Modi said. “Our government broke that way of working. A citizen’s self-attested document is enough to prove its authenticity.”

He added that the reform is part of the Jan Vishwas Bill provisions, which also include the decriminalisation of minor compliances to reduce the burden on ordinary people.

The Prime Minister emphasised the transformative impact of guarantee-free loans under various financial inclusion schemes.

According to him, ₹37 lakh crore has already been disbursed to small vendors, hawkers, and economically weaker sections.

“Even those demanding just ₹1,000 are receiving loans without guarantees. This is governance that trusts its people,” he declared.

He said the government has launched district-level outreach camps to help citizens recover their rightful dues.

“Thousands of crores have already been returned,” he added, describing the effort as “Modi searching for people to claim their hard-earned money.”

In a personal and emotional appeal, the Prime Minister urged the nation to shed what he called the “Macaulay’s slavery mindset,” setting a ten-year goal for the transformation.

Folding his hands, PM Modi said, “I cannot do this without the support of the people of this country. We must not follow the footprints of others — we have to make our line bigger. Against all odds, we must march ahead.”