PM Modi inaugurates Rashtra Prerna Sthal, attacks Congress parivaarvad

PM Modi inaugurated the 'Rashtra Prerna Sthal' in Lucknow on Vajpayee's birth anniversary. He said it symbolises self-respect and unity, highlighted his govt's 'Antyodaya' efforts, and attacked Congress for promoting 'parivaarvad'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the 'Rashtra Prerna Sthal' in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow and said that it symbolises the vision that showed India the path of self-respect, unity, and service.

Addressing the gathering on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 101st Birth Anniversary, PM Modi said his government has given 'Antyodaya' a new dimension of saturation. The Prime Minister attacked Congress accusing it of "parivaarvad" and treating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as "political untouchable".

He said Lucknow is becoming a witness to a new inspiration. He extended Christmas greetings to the nation and the world. PM Modi highlighted that in India too, millions of Christian families are celebrating the festival today. He emphasised that this celebration of Christmas should bring happiness into everyone's lives, which is the collective wish of all.

Highlighting that December 25 brings with it the remarkable occasion of the birth anniversaries of two great personalities of the nation, PM Modi remarked that Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji and Bharat Ratna Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya ji dedicated their lives to safeguarding India's identity, unity, and pride. The Prime Minister emphasised that both these stalwarts left an indelible mark on nation-building through their immense contributions.

Noting that December 25 also marks the birth anniversary of Maharaja Bijli Pasi, PM Modi highlighted that the famous Bijli Pasi fort of Lucknow is not far from here and emphasized that Maharaja Bijli Pasi left behind a legacy of valor, good governance, and inclusiveness, which the Pasi community has carried forward with pride. He noted the coincidence that it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who, in the year 2000, issued a postage stamp in honor of Maharaja Bijli Pasi. He paid respectful homage, offering salutations to Mahamana Malaviyai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Maharaja Bijli Pasi.

Rashtra Prerna Sthal: A Modern Inspiration Site

He highlighted that the grand statues of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Atal Bihari Vajpayee stand tall in the Rashtra Prerna Sthal and the inspiration they provide is even greater. The Prime Minister emphasized that this Rashtra Prerna Sthal gives the message that every step, every effort must be dedicated to nation-building, and that collective effort alone will fulfill the resolve of a developed India. He extended congratulations to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and the entire nation on this modern inspiration site. He noted that the land on which this Prerna Sthal has been built had, for decades, accumulated a mountain of garbage spread over more than 30 acres, which has been completely cleared in the last three years. The Prime Minister congratulated all the workers, artisans, planners associated with the project, and conveyed special appreciation to the Chief Minister and his entire team for their efforts.

Honouring the Legacy of National Stalwarts

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee's Vision for India

Underlining that Syama Prasad Mookerjee played a decisive role in giving direction to the nation, the Prime Minister remarked that it was Mookerjee who rejected the provision of two constitutions, two emblems, and two prime ministers in India. He emphasized that even after independence, the arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir posed a major challenge to India's integrity. PM Modi stated with pride that it was their government that had the opportunity to bring down the wall of Article 370, and today the Constitution of India is fully implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister further recalled that as the first Industry Minister of independent India, Dr. Mookerjee laid the foundation of economic self-reliance and gave the country its first industrial policy, thereby establishing the basis of industrialization in India. He remarked that today the same mantra of self-reliance is being taken to new heights, with Made in India products reaching across the world.

PM Modi pointed out that in Uttar Pradesh itself, a massive campaign of One District One Product is underway, strengthening small industries and small units. He said a major defence corridor is being built in Uttar Pradesh.

The Prime Minister noted that the BrahMos missile, whose power the world witnessed during Operation Sindoor, is now being manufactured in Lucknow. He emphasised that the day is not far when the defense corridor of Uttar Pradesh will be recognised globally for defense manufacturing.

Fulfilling Deendayal Upadhyay's Dream of Antyodaya

Underscoring that decades ago Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay envisioned the dream of Antyodaya, the Prime Minister remarked that Deendayal believed India's progress should be measured by the smile on the face of the last person in the queue. He emphasised that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay spoke of Integral Humanism, where the body, mind, intellect, and soul all develop together.

PM Modi further stated that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay's dream has been adopted as his own resolve, and that Antyodaya has now been given a new dimension of saturation, meaning every needy person and every beneficiary is brought under the ambit of government welfare schemes. The Prime Minister underlined that when the spirit of saturation exists, there is no discrimination, and this is true good governance, true social justice, and true secularism.

He remarked that today, millions of citizens of the country, without discrimination, are receiving for the first time pucca houses, toilets, tap water, electricity, and gas connections. He further highlighted that millions are receiving free ration and free medical treatment for the first time.

The Prime Minister stressed that when efforts are made to reach the last person standing in the line, justice is being done to the vision of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. "In the past decade, crores of Indians have overcome poverty," he said, adding this was possible because their government prioritized those who had been left behind, those standing in the last line. He stated that before 2014, around 25 crore citizens were covered under social security schemes. In contrast, today nearly 95 crore Indians are within this protective shield, with a large number of beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh as well.

PM Attacks 'Parivaarvad' and 'Political Untouchability'

The Prime Minister remarked that the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is also a day to celebrate good governance. He highlighted that for a long time, slogans like poverty eradication were considered governance, but Atal Bihari Vajpayee truly brought good governance to the ground.

Targeting Congress, he said after Independence, every good work that happened in India was attributed to one family. "The Congress and its allies have always treated the BJP as a political untouchable. But the BJP's values teach us to respect everyone. During the BJP government's tenure over the past 11 years, and during the NDA government's time, PV Narasimha Rao and Pranab Mukherjee were awarded the Bharat Ratna. It is our government that has honored many leaders, such as Mulayam Singh Yadav and Tarun Gogoi, with national awards. No one could expect anything like this from the Congress or the Samajwadi Party. Under their rule, BJP leaders received insults and humiliation," he added.

Underlining that family-based politics is "filled with insecurity", PM Modi said this compels such leaders to diminish others in order to make their own family appear larger and keep their influence intact. The Prime Minister said that this mindset introduced "political untouchability" in India.

He pointed out that although many Prime Ministers served independent India, the museum in Delhi ignored several of them. He emphasised that his government corrected this situation, and today, when one visits Delhi, the grand Prime Ministers' Museum welcomes them, where every Prime Minister of independent India, regardless of how short their tenure was, has been given due respect and rightful place.

PM Modi also criticised Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), accusing them of undermining the legacies of national icons like Babasahab Ambedkar and promoting a "family" rule in India.

PM Modi went on to point out how the BJP has fostered Ambedkar's legacy. "BJP did not let Baba Saheb's legacy be destroyed. Today, from Delhi to London, Babasahab Ambedkar's Panch Teerth is celebrating his legacy." Baba Ambedkar's Panch Tirth (five pilgrimage sites) are five significant locations marking key phases of his life, developed by the the government to honour his legacy: 'Janmabhoomi' his birthplace in Mhow (Madhya Pradesh), 'Shiksha Bhoomi' his place of study in London, 'Deeksha Bhoomi' in Nagpur (where he embraced Buddhism), the Mahaparinirvan Sthal in Delhi (place of demise), and his cremation site, Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai.

"After independence, a tendency to connect all the good work that took place in India to the same family emerged. Whether it be books, government schemes, government institutions, streets, roads, or squares, it was all connected to the pride of one family," PM Modi said.

"The BJP has also taken the country out of this old system bound to one family. Our government, serving Mother India, is giving respect to every child, to everyone's contribution. Today, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's statue is on Kartavya Path in Delhi," he added.

The Prime Minister further recalled that Sardar Patel had united a country divided into hundreds of princely states, and alleged that after independence, efforts were made to diminish both his work and stature. He underlined that it was their party that gave Sardar Patel the respect he truly deserved.

The Prime Minister noted that it was his government that built the world's tallest statue of Sardar Patel and developed Ekta Nagar as a site of inspiration. He emphasized that every year, on 31st October, the nation now holds the main celebration of National Unity Day at this site.

Noting that for decades the contributions of tribal communities were not given due recognition, PM Modi highlighted that it was his government that built the grand memorial of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and only a few weeks ago inaugurated the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Tribal Museum in Chhattisgarh. (ANI)

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