---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Last year I spoke about Clean India and…"
description: "\"Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation, it was criticised then but that has been the main point with which the government has touched ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg"
---

#  Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation…

![“Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation, it was criticised then but that has been the main point with which the government has touched the lives of the people.” quote by Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg)

> “Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation, it was criticised then but that has been the main point with which the government has touched the lives of the people.”

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker highlights criticism of sanitation reforms but claims they have positively impacted citizens.

**In simple terms:** Sanitation reforms faced criticism yet helped people.

Key Takeaway

Support and expand public health initiatives.

Themes

public health policy social change

Mood

optimistic determined

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- community health
- policy evaluation

Key Concepts

sanitation government action citizen welfare

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we measure true impact?
- What barriers remain for full adoption?

A Different Perspective

Criticism may overlook long‑term benefits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/) [Clean India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-india-414982/) [Defecation Criticised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defecation-criticised-5653716/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Touched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-touched-2279547/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Last year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-year/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spokes/) [Touched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touched/) [Touched Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touched-lives-2972617/) [Year Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-spoke-2795175/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Mahatma Gandhi never compromised on cleanliness. He gave us freedom. We should give him a clean India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/mahatma-gandhi-never-compromised-on-cleanliness-he-gave-us-freedom-we/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [It is our social responsibility as citizens of India to help fulfil Gandhiji's vision of Clean India, by his 150th birth anniversary in 2019.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/it-is-our-social-responsibility-as-citizens-of-india-to-help-fulfil/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [The historical achievements for my constituency and welfare schemes of the Modi government has touched each and every person and reached across each and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-thakur/the-historical-achievements-for-my-constituency-and-welfare-schemes/)

[Anurag Thakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-thakur/)

> [“Late last year, I spoke to a group of young married people, all its members very perturbed about the world in which we live,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-baldwin/late-last-year-i-spoke-to-a-group-of-young-married-people-all-its/)

[Faith Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-baldwin/)

> [I am honoured to be invited by our respected Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi to join the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.' I dedicate myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-ambani/i-am-honoured-to-be-invited-by-our-respected-prime-minister-shri/)

[Anil Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-ambani/)

> [The process of wanting to clean India is not an overnight job. At the same time, if we can inspire all citizens, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/the-process-of-wanting-to-clean-india-is-not-an-overnight-job-at-the/)

[Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/)

> [A Life is the sum of those it touched and was touched by, the lives it gave, saved and made, and the memories left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kyle/a-life-is-the-sum-of-those-it-touched-and-was-touched-by-the-lives-it/)

[Steve Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kyle/)

> [Happiness lies in those who cry, those who have been hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. For only they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-lies-in-those-who-cry-those-who-have-been-hurt-those-who/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Happiness lies for those who cry, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-lies-for-those-who-cry-those-who-have-searched-and-those/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Happiness lies ahead for those who cry; those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who tried, for only they can appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-lies-ahead-for-those-who-cry-those-who-hurt-those-who-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“A Spiritual Samaritan lives knowing that if we were to leave this world tomorrow, we were the best humans we could be and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/a-spiritual-samaritan-lives-knowing-that-if-we-were-to-leave-this/)

[Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/)

> [“We are the sum of those who have touched our lives in one way or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/we-are-the-sum-of-those-who-have-touched-our-lives-in-one-way-or/)

[Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/)

> [Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried for only they can appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/happiness-lies-for-those-who-cry-those-who-hurt-those-who-have/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [“All of us are the products of the lives that touched upon our own lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/all-of-us-are-the-products-of-the-lives-that-touched-upon-our-own/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [“He ( Former Indian Prez, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam) let them touch his hand and in return, touched their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/he-former-indian-prez-dr-apj-abdul-kalam-let-them-touch-his-hand-and/)

[Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/)

## More by Narendra Modi

> [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Learning from experience and learning from education, both are important. Your education &amp; values decide how you learn from your experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/learning-from-experience-and-learning-from-education-both-are/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Urbanisation is not a crisis but an opportunity, seeing it as a crisis is wrong. And not just villages, we want everyone to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/urbanisation-is-not-a-crisis-but-an-opportunity-seeing-it-as-a-crisis/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Government not just for a few, it belongs to the common people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/government-not-just-for-a-few-it-belongs-to-the-common-people/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [My 'Idea of India' calls not just for tolerance, but a celebration of all points of view. Where the sensibilities of every individual are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/my-idea-of-india-calls-not-just-for-tolerance-but-a-celebration-of/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [I want to work for the poor in my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-want-to-work-for-the-poor-in-my-country/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [By saying Make in India, we are not only inviting companies for cost-effective manufacturing, but also giving them an opportunity of a large market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/by-saying-make-in-india-we-are-not-only-inviting-companies-for-cost/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [I have reached here by selling tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-have-reached-here-by-selling-tea/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [For achieving good governance political will is necessary. Good governance is a political process. Though role of civil society is critical, without political will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/for-achieving-good-governance-political-will-is-necessary-good/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [India is an independent country, we have our own policies and future. We have to think about the future of our 125 crore people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/india-is-an-independent-country-we-have-our-own-policies-and-future/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [People of Bihar are the most intelligent people on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/people-of-bihar-are-the-most-intelligent-people-on-earth/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [So, this is my government's agenda: educate your daughter and save your daughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/so-this-is-my-government-s-agenda-educate-your-daughter-and-save-your/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [I dream of a Digital India where 1.2 billion Connected Indians drive Innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-dream-of-a-digital-india-where-1-2-billion-connected-indians-drive/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

[Explore all 817 Narendra Modi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

## More Clean quotes

> [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/)

[Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/)

> [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/)

[Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/)

> [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/)

[Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/)

> [There's nothing harder than making a mellow, clean record. It's really scary. I can see why people would never want to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-segall/there-s-nothing-harder-than-making-a-mellow-clean-record-it-s-really/)

[Ty Segall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-segall/)

> [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/)

[Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/)

> [There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/there-is-one-and-only-one-solution-and-we-have-almost-no-time-to-try/)

[Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/)

> [The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle. The groves of these trees looked like vast forest sheds, their branches stoppingshort at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sugar-maple-is-remarkable-for-its-clean-ankle-the-groves-of-these/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [At 62, I remain clean and sober and my ponytail remains erect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/at-62-i-remain-clean-and-sober-and-my-ponytail-remains-erect/)

[Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/)

> [Water is a cure-all. Water is everything. You can't get better without drinking lots of water, and you can't drink water unless it's clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/water-is-a-cure-all-water-is-everything-you-can-t-get-better-without/)

[Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/)

> [The worthiness of any cause is not measured by its clean record, but by its readiness to see the blots when they are pointed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-worthiness-of-any-cause-is-not-measured-by-its-clean-record-but/)

[Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/)

> [I like to always wash the slate clean, and reinvigorate my spirit to be connected to the characters that I am doing. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/)

[Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/)

> [There's a whole journalistic-industrial complex dedicated to keeping newsprint, TV screens and radio waves clean of destabilizing scoops damaging to corporations or the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-s-a-whole-journalistic-industrial-complex-dedicated-to-keeping/)

[Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/)

> [Night fell clean and cold in Dublin, and wind moaned beyond my room as if a million pipes played the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/night-fell-clean-and-cold-in-dublin-and-wind-moaned-beyond-my-room-as/)

[Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/)

[Browse all 2,503 Clean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation, it was criticised then but that has been the main point with which the government has touched the lives of the people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Narendra Modi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and-open-defecation-it-was/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Clean"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and-open-defecation-it-was/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/narendra-modi-250_clean_last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and_1526477.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Last year I spoke about Clean India and open defecation, it was criticised then but that has been the main…” — Narendra Modi",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Narendra Modi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Last year I spoke about Clean...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and-open-defecation-it-was/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/last-year-i-spoke-about-clean-india-and-open-defecation-it-was/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
