True secularism is where there is no discrimination: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday that his government does not look at the religion or caste of the beneficiaries while reaching out to them with various schemes, and there is no greater social justice than working for the happiness and convenience of all. Speaking at a programme at Mahatma Mandir to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth around Rs 4,400 crore here, Modi said that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has become a tool for women empowerment as 70 per cent of the 4 crore houses built for the poor under this scheme were given to women.

“We are trying for 100 per cent saturation of the (government) schemes. That is, the government itself is going to the beneficiaries of the schemes. This approach of the government has ended corruption on a large scale. The government does not look at religion or caste to reach out to the beneficiary,” Modi said after inaugurating, laying the foundation stones and participating in ‘grih pravesh’ (house inauguration)of 42,441 dwelling units constructed in Gujarat under PMAY.

“I understand that true secularism is where there is no discrimination (of caste, creed or religion). For those who talk about social justice, I think there is no social justice greater than working for the happiness and convenience of all, for 100 per cent of their rights. Yes, this is the path on which we are walking,” he said.

Modi said that the poor are getting over the plight and disappointment they faced earlier as his government is working to remove things they lacked in life. When the poor worry less about their basic requirements, then their confidence increases, he said.