India is expressing pride over its legacy with tremendous self-respect and is asserting that it will strengthen its traditions while ushering in modernity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
The country’s policies and efforts have no discrimination, and are aimed at serving the poor, the backward and the deprived on priority, he added.
The Prime Minister made the remarks after inaugurating celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of social reformer and Arya Samaj founder Dayanand Saraswati. He also unveiled the logo of the birth anniversary celebrations.
India showing the way to the world
Modi said India is showing the way to the world in the field of environment. He also said it was a matter of pride that India was chairing the G20 this year.
“The country today with tremendous self-respect is expressing pride over its legacy. The country is saying with full self-confidence that we will strengthen our traditions while ushering in modernity,” Modi said.
The country is running on the tracks of ‘virasat (heritage)’ and ‘vikas (development)’, the prime minister said.
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Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati: A voice of empowerment
Modi called the occasion historic and said it was an inspiration for the future of humanity. Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati became a voice for the empowerment of India’s women and launched a strong campaign against social discrimination and untouchability, he said.
Today the daughters of the country are taking on major roles from being deployed in Siachen to flying Rafale fighter planes, the Prime Minister added.
Born in 1824, Saraswati worked to counter the then prevalent social inequities. Arya Samaj has played a key role in cultural and social awakening of the country by its emphasis on social reforms and education, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said in a statement.
The government has been committed to celebrating social reformers and important personalities, especially those whose contributions were not given their due yet on a pan-India scale, it had said.
From declaring the birth anniversary of Birsa Muda as the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas to participating in a programme commemorating Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Modi has been leading such initiatives from the front, the PMO had said.