by ANGANA CHAKRABARTI
PM Modi made the comment at the UN, but Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and P.V. Narasimha Rao have all expressed similar thoughts in the past.
In his Saturday address to the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he represents a country that is proud to be the “mother of democracy”.
“I represent a country that is proud to be known as the mother of democracy. On 15 August this year, India entered the 75th year of its independence,” he said.
While External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar led several Twitter handles in lauding Modi’s speech, another section questioned the PM’s comment, pointing to the commonly accepted belief that the ancient Greeks were behind the first democratic institutions in the world.
“Representing the Mother of Democracy and based on his own experiences, PM affirms that democracy can deliver, democracy has delivered,” Jaishankar wrote in his tweet, alluding to Modi’s rise from a tea-seller to prime minister.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri too referred to the PM’s remark, and tweeted, “PM underlines India’s strong & robust tradition of democracy which has drawn strength from our nation’s diversity.”
“I represent a country that is regarded as Mother of Democracy”
A powerful & landmark message to the world by PM Modi at the 76th session of UNGA.
PM underlines India’s strong & robust tradition of democracy which has drawn strength from our nation’s diversity.#PMModiatUNGA pic.twitter.com/yHx3LltpNb
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 25, 2021
But other users questioned the accuracy of Modi’s statement.
Where is India known as mother of democracy? ?
Ministry of Truth at work?
— Chirag Patnaik (@chirag) September 25, 20211
India claims to be the ‘mother of democracy’.
Ancient Greeks: pic.twitter.com/DccCqJOnDb
— Chaitanya Andhare (@c_andhare) September 25, 2021
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