In Pics: Narendra Modi addresses Indian diaspora in Sydney, Australia

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told the Indian Diaspora living in Australia that there are many people who were born after independence and therefore could not get the opportunity to sacrifice their lives for the nation but they all have the opportunity now to live for the country.“We couldn't die for the nation, but we can live for the nation, that is something that everyone has the opportunity to do,” Narendra Modi told a rapturous crowd at Allphones Arena of Olympic park in Sydney.“I am fortunate that I am the first PM of India who was born in independent India,hence I feel greater responsibility. We couldn't die for the nation, but we can live for the nation, that is something that everyone has got the opportunity to do. It takes one day to come to Australia, but it took 28 years for an Indian PM to come here. My friends in Australia I assure you...you won't have to wait for 28 years,” said Modi.“India is young. Full of young energy. We have capacity to work. Swami had talked about it. It was his dream – In front of my eyes, I can see my mother as vishwa guru. She will be a guide to the world. That is why I have faith in the great vision of the Swami. 6 months are nothing for this huge nation. I want to ask you, do you have the faith that I have? Can we serve humanity, can we stand tall again? We you agree, they your faith will become god's blessing. If you have faith then there is nothing that can stop us,” added Modi.Modi assured a visa on arrival facility for Australian tourists and announced a two-month deadline for the long-pending merger of OCI and PIO status to woo the Indian diaspora from whom he sought support for his ambitious Clean India campaign.Addressing a frenzied crowd of around 20,000 in the packed Allphones Arena here, Modi took a dig at the previous governments saying while they were happy to make laws he was “happier to remove” them.“Let's open the windows let fresh air come in,” Modi said referring to his government's efforts to weed out obsolete laws.Touched by the grand reception, Modi said he was honoured and humbled and will never forget this day.“I know that behind this affection lies expectations. Yes. We want to create the India you are dreaming of.” “This welcome, this respect, this enthusiasm I dedicate it to the people of India,” said Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia in 28 years.Modi announced that his government was working on to facilitate visa on arrival for Australian tourists and said the PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status will be merged ahead of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held from January 7 in Ahmedabad. Modi had announced merger of PIO and OCI during his visit to the US in September but had not given a timeline then. The Prime Minister also referred to economic reforms unveiled by his government and said India has become an attractive destination for investment. He also said FDI in Railways has been hiked to 100 per cent and hoped that Australian companies will invest in creating rail infrastructure in the country.The Prime Minister called upon Indians across the world to convert the atmosphere of hope and optimism into a reality of meeting the expectations and aspirations of people in India.Modi said on the basis of his experience of the last six months, he could see no reason why the aspirations of millions of Indians could not be fulfilled.He referred to Swami Vivekananda's dream of seeing Mother India as a ‘Vishva Guru' once again, and said he believed that dream would be a reality.“Do you share the dream”, he asked the cheering crowd. The Prime Minister said that he feels a greater sense of responsibility as he is the first Prime Minister born in independent India.“We did not have the fortune to fight for the country's independence. We could not die for India. But we can live for India. So we will live and struggle for India. Today 125 crore Indians share that dream,” he said.“It took 28 years for an Indian PM to make the few hours journey to Australia. Now you will not have to wait 28 years,” the Prime Minister said.He also highlighted the values of democracy and the love for cricket that India and Australia share. The Prime Minister exhorted people to recognise the strength of India's democracy. “Let us now do all we can for India's benefit. And then India will work for the benefit of mankind,” he said.“Governments cannot make a country. People make a country,” he said.The Prime Minister also stressed on the Clean India campaign saying that more tourists would come if the country was cleaner.He also asked the Indian diaspora to extend their support to the campaign and said they can contribute significantly in developing the villages they come from.“I request you to contribute. God has given you so much.” Modi said while “some people” dream of doing only big things he was interested in doing “small things” like building toilets and ensuring cleanliness.“Illness is a big burden on the poor. There is no greater service to the poor than focussing on cleanliness,” he said adding “I see no reason why India should stay behind. It is decided we will move ahead.”Modi congratulated and complimented the Indian Australian community for working hard and making their “karmbhoomi” proud. He named prominent Indian-Australians who had excelled for Australia in sports and academics.Talking about the strength of democracy, he said “Look at the strength of democracy. Would I have been here if it weren't for democracy? The power of this democracy brought me here.”The Prime Minister mentioned the work his Government was doing and the new policies and schemes his Government had launched including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and the Make in India initiative.Speaking about Jan Dhan scheme, he said 70 million bank accounts have been opened in the last 10 weeks under the scheme and a total of Rs 5,000 crore has been deposited by the account holders.He also spoke of the need to improve access to clean water, electricity and invited the Indian-Australian community to give back to the Motherland in whatever way they could. He spoke of his vision for skill development, and India meeting the skilled manpower requirement of the whole world.Modi also complimented Australia for its concept of dignity of labour. “I have always admired the concept of dignity of labour in Australia. Here, a research scientist can also drive a cab.”“Cleaning up or removing litter. This is not a job that lacks dignity...this is a job that must be respected,” he said.He also announced a Sydney Cultural Center would be established by India and it will be made functional by February 2015.Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday invited the Indian diaspora in Australia to participate in the Swachch Bharat or Clean India campaign.Addressing a 16,000-strong ecstatic Indian diaspora crowd at the Allphones Arena here, the prime minister said cleanliness is an area where his government is focusing."Dirt attracts illness and the poor man suffers, due to which work days are lost and monetarily too.. I invite your participation in the drive," he said, as the crowd chanted "Modi, Modi".Narendra Modi also urged the diaspora to build at least one toilet in the village of their origin in India. He expressed admiration for the dignity of labour he has witnessed in Australia."When I came earlier to Australia many would ask what have you learnt from Australia - and that is dignity of labour," he said.He said in Australia people speak with the same respect to a doctor as with a driver. He mentioned how on weekends a research scientist works as a driver to earn money."This dignity of labour is something to learn from," he added.He said he wanted to give the same message of dignity of labour through the Swachch Bharat campaign.Giving an example, he said in India the garbage collector is called the "kachchra wala". "But he in reality is removing the filth... our mentality needs to change."He said that today people, including industrialists, are participating in the clean India mission. "I salute them."He added that on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th anniversary of return to India in 2019 - "the least we can do for Mahatma Gandhi is have a clean India."He said it would give a fillip to tourism in the country, besides improving the lives of the poor.In a replay of the crowd and the euphoria at New York's Madison Square Garden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Monday cheered lustily by an over 16,000-strong gathering of the Indian diaspora at Sydney's Allphones Arena, where he promised to fulfill their expectations of a resurgent India.Modi, who arrived from Brisbane earlier in the day after attending the G20 summit meeting, spoke for an hour at the Allphones Arena where people wore T-shirts with Modi photos emblazoned on them.Hundreds of fans had arrived by the "Modi Express" train from Melbourne in the morning.To deafening chants of "Modi, Modi" interrupting his speech, the prime minister, attired in a white kurta pyjama with a blue sleeveless jacket to match, also promised the diaspora visa on arrival and merging of the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards by January.Speaking in Hindi, Modi said there was no reason for India to lag behind any longer."Do you believe that the country can rise again, become powerful and capable of helping other countries again," he asked to loud cheers from the crowd."I don't see any reason for the country to remain behind, fate has decided that it must progress," he said to wild cheers.Organisers of the event had said Modi's address at the Allphones Arena would rival the Madison Square Garden address Sep 27 where too he had received an ecstatic welcome from an over 16,000-strong gathering of Indian diaspora. "Overwhelmed, honoured and humbled. Will never forget this day," is how Modi tweeted later.Modi also spoke of the schemes launched by his government, including the Clean India and Make in India programmes, and invited the diaspora to join in the Swachh Bharat campaign and contribute towards building toilets in their villages back home in India.He said that today, people, including industrialists, are participating in the Clean India mission. "I salute them."He said that on the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's return to India in 2019, "the least we can do for Mahatma Gandhi is have a clean India".He said it would give a fillip to tourism in the country, besides improving the lives of the poor."It took 28 years for an Indian PM to make the few hours journey to Australia. Now you will not have to wait 28 years," he said, referring to the shared values of democracy, and the love for cricket that India and Australia share.Earlier, during his meeting with businesspersons in Queensland, Modi told them that Queensland can be an important partner in India's development.At the breakfast meet hosted by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, Modi proposed that businesspersons can participate in his government's Clean Ganga programme and also suggested that India can import LNG from Queensland.He said he was pleased that Queensland will be participating in the 'Vibrant Gujarat' summit in 2015 to showcase its infrastructural capabilities and that trade delegations from Queensland have been sent to other Indian cities like New Delhi and Kolkata as well.He also met New South Wales Premier Mike Baird to discuss economic ties.Baird later tweeted: "Meeting the man with the trillion dollar infrastructure plan, Indian PM @narendramodi."He described Modi's Sydney speech as "incredibly powerful".Modi later left for Canberra, where he will address the Australian parliament Tuesday and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.He is among three world leaders who have been invited to address the Australian parliament, besides China's Xi Jinping and Britain's David Cameron.He will be the first Indian prime minister to address the Australian parliament.