Toronto, Apr 16 (PTI): Asserting that a new "atmosphere of trust" has developed in India since he took over 10 months ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today vowed to "clean up" the mess left behind by the others.
"There is a new atmosphere of trust in our nation... We say 'jan gana man adhinayak' -- that 'Jan Man' has changed," Modi said addressing in Hindi an estimated over 10,000-strong Indian diaspora at Ricoh Coliseum here.
The Prime Minister said that development is a solution to all the problems that India faces. He said the country has all the capabilities it needs, it just needs opportunities now.
"Jinko gandagi karni thi, gandagi kar ke chaley gaye, hum safai karke jayengey (Those who had create a mess, they have done so and left. We will go after cleaning it up)," Modi said attacking the previous governments.
"India will provide the workforce to power global growth. Our mission is 'skill India', not 'scam India'," he said.
As the audience repeatedly cheered with chants of "Modi, Modi", the Prime Minister said that whatever is happening is not due to him but due to the people of India.
Recalling a Bollywood song, Modi said that 10 months back the government in India changed and now the ethos of the people have changed.
He said that India's biggest treasure is its youth and his aim was to see them as "job creators".
"Eighty crore youth population, 80 crore dreams, 160 crore strong hands. What can we not achieve?" he said, adding that he wants the youth to be job creators not job seekers.
Modi thanked Canada and his counterpart Stephen Harper for the immense enthusiasm with which they expressed their love and said the relationship between the two countries will be "very long and fruitful".
"My experience of working with Canada has always been very good right from the time when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Canada partnered with Gujarat in 2003," said Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to undertake standalone bilateral visit to Canada in 42 years.
"The decisions we have taken today have been taken in a friendly atmosphere. Our association is going to be very long and a fruitful one," Modi said, referring to his bilateral talks with Harper and the agreements signed after that.
Speaking at the same event, Harper earlier said, "We are here tonight to celebrate the special friendship that exists between India and Canada. It is a friendship we truly value."
Canada has agreed to supply 3,000 metric tonnes of uranium to energy-hungry India from this year under a USD 254 million five-year deal to power Indian atomic reactors, four decades after bilateral cooperation in thissector was frozen over India's nuclear programme.
The agreement for uranium supply, which came two years after protracted negotiations following the 2013 civil nuclear deal between India and Canada, was signed after comprehensive talks Prime Minister Modi had with Harper in Ottawa.
Canada is the third country to supply uranium to India after Russia and Kazakhstan. The supplies will be under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
Harper returns 900-yr-old Khajuraho temple sculpture to Modi
A 900-year-old piece of sculpture from Khajuraho temple, which had somehow reached Canada, was returned by Prime Minister Stephen Harper when his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met him here.
The sculpture, known as 'Parrot Lady', was handed over by Harper to Modi yesterday in accordance with 1970 UNESCO Convention.
The handing over took place in Canadian Parliament Library which Modi visited after his talks with Harper.
"Canada returns Indian heritage piece -'Parrot Lady'. PM @narendramodi receives sandstone sculpture from Khajuraho," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.
The stone sculpture, meant to be in UNESCO-protected Khajuraho, depicts a dancer with a parrot on her back.
The valuable antique piece surfaced in Canada in 2011 when it was found in possession of a person who did not have proper documents and it was seized, according to reports.
The Canadian authorities then contacted their Indian counterparts, following which discussions started on returning it.