Modi said the electorate had once given the RJD government 15 years to transform Bihar, but former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav “chose jungle raj over development”, leading to public disillusionment. “The people could not tolerate this betrayal,” he said, urging state governments across the country to keep development at the centre of their agenda.
Responding to observations that he and the BJP remain in constant election mode, Modi argued that governments must instead operate in “emotional mode”, with an urgency that reflects public expectations. He noted that women’s turnout in Bihar exceeded that of men by nine percentage points, calling it evidence of deeper democratic engagement and rising trust in development-oriented politics.
The Prime Minister used the platform to outline broader structural challenges India has faced in the first quarter of the 21st century. Global economic disruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic and regional crises, he said, did not halt India’s momentum, with the economy continuing to grow at around 7%.
Modi also criticised historical education policies dating back to Macaulay’s 1835 framework, arguing that they weakened India’s intellectual roots by sidelining indigenous knowledge. He said recent education reforms aim to restore local languages and cultural heritage to the mainstream.
On internal security, Modi accused the Congress of nurturing Naxalism both in rural strongholds and urban networks. He said the government’s approach of transforming “backward” districts into “aspirational districts” has yielded measurable improvements, citing progress in regions like Bastar.
The Ramnath Goenka Lecture series, instituted in honour of the Indian Express Group’s founder, remains a significant forum for public dialogue on media, democracy and accountability.
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