On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the public’s opinion of uniformed soldiers has shifted in recent years. Internal security used to be predicated on spreading terror among the populace to keep the calm for colonial overlords, but it has since evolved, and people now have the assurance of help when they see uniformed officers, according to PM Modi.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in Gandhinagar, where he delivered the first convocation address and dedicated an RRU building to the nation.

From Dehgam town in Gandhinagar to RRU campus, PM, who is on a two-day visit to his home state of Gujarat, embarked on a roadshow. This is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s second roadshow in as many days. The PM is expected to attend another roadshow in Ahmedabad later in the day before launching the Khel Mahakhumbh sporting event.

“Reforms in the country’s security apparatus were required after independence. We received the impression that we should be wary of uniformed persons. However, it has now changed. People now get the certainty of help when they see uniformed troops,” the Prime Minister remarked, highlighting the humane efforts done by police officers during the Covid-19 outbreak, such as providing food and medications to the people.

He also stated that today’s police necessitates talents such as negotiation and other soft skills necessary to thrive in a democratic environment.

The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of the first batch of any such institute in advancing the institution’s vision. He credited Gujarat’s ancient pharmacy college for helping the state become a leader in the pharmaceutical business.

Ahmedabad Education Trust established the L M College of Pharmacy in 1947, which is regarded as one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious pharma colleges.

Gandhinagar, he noted, is home to several firsts in the country, including the National Law University, Rashtriya Raksha University, and the Forensic Science University.

The Prime Minister compared RRU to other historic institutions in the country, such as the Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad, which was founded in 1961 and has contributed to the development of a solid MBA education system in the country.

“Do not treat this as a police academy. This is a Raksha university dedicated to the country’s overall security.” PM Modi emphasised the relevance of disciplines such as mob and crowd psychology, negotiation, nutrition, and technology.

RRU was established to satisfy the demand for well-trained personnel in policing, criminal justice, and penal administration. By upgrading the Raksha Shakti University, which was founded by the Gujarat government in 2010, the government created Rashtriya Raksha University, a national police university.

The institution, which is designated as a Nationally Important Institution, began operations on October 1, 2020. The university plans to create synergies with the business sector by leveraging industry knowledge and resources, as well as establish Centers of Excellence in a variety of subjects related to law enforcement and security.

Police science and management, criminal law and justice, cyberpsychology, information technology, artificial intelligence and cyber security, crime investigation, strategic languages, internal defence and strategies, physical education and sports, and coastal and maritime security are just some of the academic programmes available at the university. These programmes currently have 822 students from 18 states enrolled.

The Prime Minister began his remarks at RRU by paying honour to Mahatma Gandhi and those who took part in the Dandi March, also known as the Salt March, which began on March 12, 1930, from Sabarmati Ashram.

On the 92nd anniversary of the Dandi March, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the ‘Dandi Cycle Yatra’ on Saturday.

Prime Minister Modi has included Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals in the new National Education Policy (NEP) as well as several government programmes and schemes, according to Amit Shah, who spoke at the Ashram.