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In an address to nearly 18,000 Indian-Americans who congregated at the SAP center in San Jose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that "India is waiting for you” to Indian diaspora in California. He added that it is time for the brain drain to become a "brain gain" for India. It was time for the diaspora to contribute to India, Modi said.
Modi said, "People used to talk a lot about brain drain, they complained a lot about it. Did anybody ever think that this brain drain could become brain gain? No, but now it has.” PM said that he sees the brain drain as a 'brain deposit' and says that time is ripe to use this deposit to benefit India.
Crediting the Indian diaspora for lifting the Nation’s image in the world, Modi said “Your fingers created magic on the keyboard and the computer and this gave India a new identity. Your skill and commitment is wonderful. Your commitment, your innovations, sitting here you are forcing the world the change."
PM also used to occasion to talk about the achievements of the 16-month-old government. He asked, “Today after 16 months, I need your certificate. Did I fulfill my promise? Did I fulfill my promise?"
As a favorable answer to his question, audience said, "Yes, Yes" and "Modi, Modi."
The crowd answered again saying 'Modi, Modi, when Modi said, "For the last 25 years, there's been a question, 'Whose is the 21st century?' "
Meanwhile, answering his own question, Modi said that it used to be said that the century was of Asia, while a lot of people now say that the century belongs to India.
"This change didn't come because of 'Modi Modi Modi.' This change has come about because of the 125 crores of Indians who have resolved that India won't lag behind."
Flamboyant speech of Modi was metaphorical and even funny as well. PM ensured to praise even people living in India by lauding the flexibility of Indians and crediting them for their help towards policy initiatives for the poor.
Modi said, “I requested my countrymen to give up their LPG (cooking gas) subsidy, and 30 lakh people actually surrendered it voluntarily.” He also said that he ensured that the poorest of the poor opened the bank accounts with zero balance. "But these poor people in total deposited 32000 crores by saving 50 Rs here, 100 Rs there.”
-Sumana
