Don't let me become like flower, I have to live in thorns: PM Narendra Modi

GANGTOK: "Don't let me become delicate like a flower. I have lived among the thorns, I will continue to live among the thorns."

This is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here today while addressing a conference of Agriculture Ministers of states here.

"..mujhe phool jaisa nazook mat banne dena. Mein kanton ke beech mein raha hun mujhe kanton ke beech mein rehna hai. Lekin jahan zarurat vahan phool jaisi komalta ke saath dukhi ke ansoon ponchne ke kaam yeh zindagi aa jaiye. Iss se bada kya sobhagya hoga.

(Don't let me become delicate like a flower. I have lived among the thorns, I will continue to live among the thorns. But there cannot be any bigger privilege if my life can be useful in wiping the tears of a sad person with the delicacy of a flower whenever necessary)," Modi said.

He made the comment when the issue of naming three orchid species developed in Sikkim. They were named as 'Cymbidium Sardar' (after Sardar Patel), 'Cymbidium Deen Dayal (after Deen Dayal Upadhyay) and 'Cymbidium Namo' (after the Prime Minister).

He said Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling had requested him to name two orchid species while he would name the third one.

"Maine jo naam diya, ek hai "Sardar", Sardar Vallabh Bhal Patel ki yaad mein. Aur doosra naam diya Deen Dayal (Deen Dayal Upadhyay ki shatabadhi varsh hai unke liye. Lekin unhonne (CM) ne doosra hi naam de diya. Sikkim sarkar ka mein is samman ke liyae mein dhanayavaad karta hun.

"(The names I gave were -- one 'Sardar' in the memory of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the second Deen Dayal because of his birth centenary. But the CM gave some other name (NAMO). I thank the Sikkim government for bestowing such an honour on me)."

Using the occasion, he took a dig at the previous governments, saying, "in the 20th century, one Prime Minister had spent a night here (in Gangtok) and in the 21st century, I have come to stay here for a night."