What PM Modi Told SRCC Students About India’s Future
PM Modi’s SRCC address combined a message for Gen-Z with attacks on Opposition leaders and claims about India’s response to past crises.
AC Team
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his address at Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi to mix politics, national crises and a message for young Indians. Speaking at the college’s centenary celebrations, he asked students to think about the kind of country they want India to become.
His speech also included a sharp attack on Opposition leaders. Modi revived the term “dimagi Naxal”, which can be translated as “mental Naxal”. He had used the phrase earlier in a speech from the Red Fort. At SRCC, he described it as a “homeopathic pill” that made his critics show their real views.
Why Modi used the term “dimagi Naxal”
Modi said that after he used the phrase, people who opposed him began speaking out. He compared this response with the idea of homeopathic treatment, where symptoms are believed to become stronger at the start of treatment.
“As soon as I gave the ‘dimagi Naxal’ homeopathic pill, all the ‘dimagi Naxals’ started coming out one after another,” he said. He added that the public could now see the “true colours” of those who, in his view, were spreading this “illness”.
The phrase has become part of a wider political argument. Supporters of the prime minister see it as a way to question people they believe are hostile to India’s interests. Critics say such labels can turn a youth event into a political attack and reduce space for serious debate.
A message aimed at Gen-Z
Much of Modi’s speech focused on young people and India’s future. He asked students to build an ambitious vision for a developed nation. He also urged them to look back at past crises before judging how governments respond to difficult events.
Modi said some people may believe that the government’s work is simple because India has a large population and many resources. He challenged that view by asking students to remember how earlier governments dealt with national emergencies.
He referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster in Uttarakhand. According to Modi, the government at the time was shaken by the disaster and did not know how to respond. The floods caused major damage and led to a large rescue and relief effort.
He also spoke about the global financial crisis of 2008. Modi said the previous government did not act with enough strength and that the banking system was pushed close to collapse. His comments formed part of his larger argument that governments must face problems instead of hiding behind them.
COVID-19, wars and supply chain pressure
Modi then listed the challenges faced during his time in office. These included the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, pressure on global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.
He said that each crisis led some people to predict that India would struggle to survive. Modi also claimed that his political opponents hoped these events would weaken his government. He credited the people of India for giving his government the strength to deal with these challenges.
The speech reflected a common theme in Modi’s public addresses: India must aim higher while learning from its past. For students at a commerce college, the references to banking, trade and global markets also connected the political message with issues linked to their studies and future careers.
Modi’s earlier visit to SRCC
This was not Modi’s first major address at SRCC. He visited the college in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. That speech received wide attention on social media and came before the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
His latest visit again placed SRCC at the centre of public discussion. College events often offer leaders a chance to speak to young voters, and Modi’s address used that setting to combine policy, politics and national identity.
Congress objects to the political tone
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the speech in a post on X. He said the prime minister had used an opportunity to discuss youth and their concerns as “yet another political campaign”.
The response highlights the divide around the event. Modi presented his speech as a call for students to imagine a stronger and developed India. The Congress viewed the use of political labels and attacks on opponents as a sign that the address moved away from a wider discussion on jobs, education and other youth issues.
For the students listening, the speech raised several questions at once: how should India prepare for future crises, what role should young people play in nation-building, and where should political criticism stop in an academic setting?
