Modi’s ‘Naraaz Fufa’ Remark on Double‑Stack Trains Sparks Debate

Speaking at the “NaMo for Viksit Bharat” gathering in Vadodara, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a light‑hearted jab – calling detractors his “naraaz fufa” – to defend the government’s logistics push. He reminded the audience that a single double‑stack container train that ran from JNPT in Mumbai to Vadodara carried the equivalent cargo of more than 250 trucks.

“Now, the ‘naraaz fufa’ will instantly start asking, ‘What about the truck drivers? Where will their trucks go?’” Modi said, adding a smile, “Well, someone finally found something to grumble about.”

He then turned to the broader story of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). According to the Prime Minister, the project lay almost dormant before 2014 – not even a kilometre was finished in the previous government’s seven‑plus years. After his party took office, the pace accelerated dramatically, drawing on lessons he’d learned in Gujarat.

“If we had kept the old approach, this line might still be unfinished after three or four generations,” Modi warned. Today, the 2,800‑km Eastern and Western corridors are, he claimed, the backbone of India’s trade, slashing travel times and fuel use. A freight train that once needed 6.5 hours to cover 100 km can now do it in under half that, and a journey that took a truck 30 hours is now completed in ten to twelve hours on the DFC.

The Prime Minister also announced a new initiative: free online coaching for students preparing for competitive exams, delivered by top teachers. He said the move will ease the financial strain on middle‑class families, who often spend a large chunk of earnings on private coaching.

In addition to the logistics talk, Modi laid foundation stones for projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore, including three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, several railway upgrades, highway works and state‑level schemes in Gujarat.

Overall, the event blended a dash of humour with a firm reminder of the government’s focus on modernising India’s transport network and supporting the country’s youth.