Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of a popular meme dialogue in his speech at an event in Gujarat prompted instant cheers and laughter from the audience on Saturday. He was in Sanand, Gujarat to inaugurate the CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test facility.
Modi’s reference to the popular meme, which was originally a dialogue in Panchayat webseries, came up as part of banter with chairman of CG Power and Industrial Solutions Vellayan Subbiah. He used a couple of Gujarati sayings in his speech at the occasion, PTI reported.
“The government’s vision of development is clear, now it is up to the industry to follow. ‘Nishan chuk maaf, pan nahi maaf nichu nishan’ (missing a high target is forgivable, but setting a low target is not). We certainly don’t want to set our sights low Sir,” he was quoted as saying, adding that he had started learning Gujarati.
“Our first shipment of semiconductor chips is going to our partners in Japan. With this India has become part of global supply chain of semiconductors. As people in Gujarat say, “Kam bole che” (work speaks). Today, this first shipment speaks louder than words,” Subbiah added.
In response, Modi in his speech referred to the two Gujarati adages.
“Subbiah ji used a Gujarti proverb, ‘nishan chuk maaf, pan nahi maaf nichu nishan’. I never have small goals, I never think small. If I have to make a statue, I will make it the tallest statue in the world,” the PM said, in an apparent reference to the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“And Subbiah ji also used ‘Kam bole che.’….’Sun rahe ho na Vinod’ (Are you listening Vinod), kam bole che,” Modi said, highlighting the work done by his government to establish an indigenous semiconductor industry.
The crowd as well as the others present on the stage burst into laughter.
On Saturday, Modi launched commercial production at a semiconductor facility in Gujarat and said he was confident the facility would soon achieve its production target.
“I’ve been told that 200 million chips will be produced here every year from now on. I am firmly confident that you will achieve it soon. This confidence also stems from the fact that the Semicon India programme is gaining momentum. STEP BY STEP, BRICK BY BRICK, and now CHIP BY CHIP. We have set a target of manufacturing 500 million chips annually. I am confident that you will achieve this target very soon. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team at CG Semi,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
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PM Modi said India has become the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer and exporter, with electronic production rising nearly seven times and electronics exports increasing about eleven times since 2014.
“Today, India is the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer and also the second-largest mobile exporter. Today, India’s total electronic production has increased by nearly 7 times compared to 2014. Electronics exports have increased by nearly 11 times,” he said.
