Be vocal for local: Telangana BJP chief champions Swadeshi drive

Hyderabad: Telangana State unit BJP President N Ramchander Rao on Friday urged citizens to adopt the habit of purchasing Indian-made goods in their daily lives and to actively support the Swadeshi movement in order to build a self-reliant nation. He was addressing a state-level workshop on the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan held at the BJP state office in Hyderabad.

Rao called upon party workers and the public to spread awareness about the importance of Swadeshi and to take the movement to every district, mandal and village. He emphasised that encouraging the use of Indian-manufactured products would help India become the number one country in the world by 2047. “This is our responsibility and service to the nation,” he said, adding that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is rapidly moving toward the goal of Viksit Bharat (Developed India).

Recalling the country’s past, Rao noted that India once depended heavily on foreign nations for essentials such as milk powder, wheat and medicines. He said that after the Modi government came to power, the situation changed dramatically, with foreign exchange reserves increasing and India now lending funds to 56 nations.

Criticising the Congress regime, which ruled for over five decades, Rao alleged that India was never self-reliant during that period and always relied on external cooperation. He asserted that Prime Minister Modi has taken bold and critical decisions to make India Aatmanirbhar, which has helped the country, emerge as the fourth-largest economy in the world.

Highlighting India’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, Rao said the nation did not depend on others and became the first country to manufacture its own vaccine. India supplied free vaccines not only to its 140 crore population but also to several other countries, showcasing its strength.

On the defence front, Rao pointed out that India previously spent lakhs of crores on importing weapons. Today, however, indigenous products such as BrahMos missiles and Tejas aircraft are being manufactured and exported globally. He cited the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’, where Indian-made weapons and aircraft performed exceptionally, surprising the world with the scale of indigenous defence production.

He added that the Make in India initiative has transformed industry and production, enabling India to export widely without depending on outsiders. Concluding his address, Rao said India is moving toward becoming a Vishva Guru, and by embracing Swadeshi goods, the nation can become truly powerful in the future.