‘Navic’ is tribute to boatmen, says PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted a veiled attack on the Congress in Varanasi on Sunday when he said that unlike “other leaders who named every scheme after members of one family”, he had decided to name the recently-launched GPS satellite series as “Navic”, which was his way of paying tribute to boatmen.

“When people abroad ask me what Navic means, I will explain to them that our boatmen spend days together in choppy waters and steer their boats through rough weather to earn a living,” he said while addressing a gathering at Assi ghat in Varanasi after launching e-boats. He said that the previous government had done nothing for boatmen except occasionally lowering diesel prices during elections.

It is noteworthy that the boatmen in Uttar Pradesh belong to the Nishad, Kevat and Mallah community which is a dalit sub-caste and the BJP has been trying to woo the community.

“The e-boats that are fitted with solar panels will not only boost tourism in Varanasi but also prove to be a game-changer for the lives of boatmen. I was told that a boatman spends `500 on diesel for his boat every day. With e-boats, he will not only save this money but also provide a pollution-free and noiseless ride to tourists,” he said.

In a lighter vein, he asked boatmen to spend the money they would save on giving education and milk to their children. “Do not drink anything else with the money you save,” he said to a huge applause.

The Prime Minister said that all boatmen will be given the option of getting their boats converted to e-boats and during this period, they will be provided alternative boats so that their earnings do not suffer.

Mr Modi, however, expressed his displeasure at the slow pace of the Swachchh Bharat campaign in his own constituency and asked people to speed it up. Earlier, Mr Modi began his speech with “Har Har Mahadev” and took a ride on the e-boat.

Prior to his arrival, a minor fire caused by a short circuit was seen on the dais but it was controlled within minutes.