Exemplary PM Modi selflessly donates the Seoul Peace Prize money

PM Modi has once again kindled a feeling of pride amongst Indians. He was conferred the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize yesterday in South Korea. While bestowing the award to the Prime Minister, the award committee recognised his contribution to the growth of Indian and global economies, crediting ‘Modinomics’ for reducing social and economic disparity between the rich and the poor. PM Modi has become the 14^th recipient of the award, and the first Indian and the first politician from Asia to be honoured with the prestige.

This is the second international award for the Indian PM in less than a month. The Indian PM had earlier been awarded the United Nation’s highest environmental honor, ‘Champions of the Earth’ along with the French President Emmanuel Macron in late September.

Proving once again to be the honorable Prime Minister of a democracy, PM Modi has dedicated the prize to the people of India and donated its amount to the ‘Namami Gange’ fund. Namami Gange is the flagship programme of the Modi government to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of river Ganga.

Expressing his gratitude after receiving the Seoul Peace Prize, Modi said, “I believe that this award belongs not to me but to the people of India. It belongs to the success India has achieved in the less than five years powered by the strengths and skills of 1.3 billion Indians and on their behalf, I humbly accept the award and express my gratitude.” He said the award was a recognition of the philosophy that gave the world the message of “Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam (the world is a family)”. “It is for the culture that has given the message of peace even on the battlefield. In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna preached the Bhagwad Gita during the battle,” he said. The Prime Minister added further, “The Seoul Peace Prize is for the land which prays may there be peace everywhere in the sky, in the space, all over the planet, in nature. May there be eternal peace.

Remembering the father of the nation, Pm Modi said, “This award is for the people who have always put societal good above individual ambitions. And I am honoured that it is being conferred on me this year, when we celebrate the 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.”

Donating the Seoul Peace Prize award money to the Namami Gange fund, Modi said, “I would like to contribute the monetary award of $200,000 i.e. Rs 1 crore 40 lakh to the Namami Gange fund for our efforts to clean river Ganga, which is not just the economic lifeline of millions of people but is also held sacred by us.”

This is not the sole case of donation PM Modi has indulged in. He recently held a five day auction from 27^th to 31^st January, 2019 wherein he auctioned all the mementos he had received over the course of his five year PM tenure by heads of states whose countries he had visited in his official capacity. These included over 1800 mementos to raise funds for the Namami Gange project.

This is not for the first time that gifts received by PM Modi have gone under the hammer. Earlier in 2016, the famous, ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi’ monogrammed pinstripes suit of PM Modi, was auctioned for a record amount of Rs 4.31 crore. The suit was worn by PM Narendra Modi during his meeting with the then US President Barack Obama. The amount that was raised at that time was too invested in the Namami Gange project.

This deed of exemplary work is not common practice. Prime ministers are allowed to retain the mementos and awards endowed with as permitted under the Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations) Regulations 1978 and Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations) Rules, 2012. The previous Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had retained all gifts granted to him in official capacity.

This principled action of PM Modi not only proves his conduct as an exemplary statesman, showing dedication towards the national cause but goes on to establish the difference between what is legally permissible and what is morally permissible. Few understand the thin line between the two concepts and that understanding is what differentiates a man from an idol.