Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that in the last century or so, while the global trend has largely been of expansion and centralization of power, Bhutan has been an exception. It laid the strong foundation for democracy, and has made the transition to a constitutionally established democracy.
Addressing the joint session of the parliament of the Bhutan, Modi said 7 years is a short time in the history of a country's democracy. But in this short time, the people of Bhutan have developed faith in the institutions of democracy. There has also been a change in Government. This reflects the maturity and awareness of the people. Shri Modi said India had also witnessed an election recently, and the people of India had voted for good governance and development.
Speaking about the India-Bhutan relationship, the Prime Minister said this is not just based on administrative ties. He said both India and Bhutan have seen transitions of power, but the relationship has remained strong. This is because the relationship is based on a shared cultural heritage. We have opened our hearts for each other, Shri Modi said, adding that leaderships may change, but these open hearts will not close, and the heritage that this relationship represented would be nurtured by future generations. India’s people and Government are committed to it, he said.
Referring to the development that has been achieved in Bhutan despite the constraints imposed by nature, Shri Modi said that in future, many small countries across the world will treat this as a model. He said while the world talks of GDP, you talk of Gross National Happiness, and this is because the leadership is concerned about the last man in the line.
Shri Modi said the plans to harness Bhutan’s hydropower potential were not just about Bhutan’s economy, or meeting India’s energy needs, but a small contribution to the fight against global warming.
The Prime Minister also talked about the large contribution made for education in Bhutan's budget, and said this reflected Bhutan's investment in the future generations. He said India was keen to make a contribution to this cause. He said India would help set up an e-library in Bhutan, for the benefit of the youth, which would help them connect with the world. He said India would also double the scholarships that are being given to Bhutanese students.
(With inputs from PIB)
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