Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that in next five years, the country will become model of development, this is the Modi guarantee. Addressing prize distribution ceremony of Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) today, Mr Modi said, Kashi is now being seen as a model of heritage and development. Prime Minister said, the echo of India’s rich heritage is being heard all over the world.
Prime Minister said, Kashi is not just a center of faith but it is a vibrant center of India’s eternal consciousness. He said that India’s ancient prestige in the world was not based on economic prowess only but its cultural, spiritual and social richness was behind that. Mr Modi said, New Kashi has emerged as an inspiration for the new India. He highlighting how the center of faith can become a center of energy for social and national resolutions. He expressed confidence that the youth coming out from here will become the flag bearers of Indian knowledge, tradition and culture all over the world.
The Prime Minister said, among the languages that have made the biggest contribution to the development of our knowledge, science and spirituality, Sanskrit is the most prominent. He said, India is an idea, and Sanskrit is its chief expression. India is a journey, Sanskrit is the main chapter of its history. India is a land of unity in diversity, Sanskrit is its origin, Prime Minister said. Mr Modi recalled a time when Sanskrit was the main language of research in Astronomy, math, medicine, literature, music and arts. India got its identity through these disciplines, he said. He said recitation of Vedas in Kashi and Kanchi are the notes of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. Mr Modi also presented awards to the winners of the Kashi Sansad Gyan Pratiyogita, Kashi Sansad Photography Pratiyogita, and Kashi Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita on the occasion.
Prime Minister also visited Sant Guru Ravidas Janmsthali temple at Seer Govardhanpur near BHU and offered prayers. Mr Modi unveiled the new statue of Sant Ravidas and inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development works around Sant Ravidas Janam Sthali. Prime Minister also attended a public function commemorating 647th Birth Anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi expressed happiness that as the representative of Kashi, he got the opportunity to serve the followers of Sant Ravidas ji. The Prime Minister noted that today also marks the birth anniversary of the great saint and social reformer Gadge Baba and highlighted his contributions towards the upliftment of the deprived and poor. PM Modi informed that Baba Saheb Ambedkar was a huge admirer of Gadge Baba’s work and Gadge Baba was also influenced by Baba Saheb.
Mr Modi said that Sant Ravidas’s teachings always guided him and he expressed gratitude to be in a position to serve the ideals of Sant Ravidas. Elaborating on Sant Ravidas’s teaching on equality and cohesiveness, the Prime Minister said that equality comes with prioritizing deprived and backward communities and underlined the government’s efforts to take the benefits of government initiative to the people left behind in the development journey. Prime Minister Modi noted that the intentions of the government towards the upliftment of dalits, the deprived and the poor are clear and that it is the reason behind India’s progress in the world today. He said that the words of the saints illuminate the path in every era while also cautioning us. Quoting Ravidas ji, the Prime Minister explained most of the people remain entangled in the differences of caste and creed and this disease of casteism harms humanity. He further added that if someone provokes someone in the name of caste, it also causes harm to humanity.
Prime Minister is scheduled to launch development projects worth over 13,000 crore rupees in Varanasi today. The major development projects includes Banas Kashi Sankul milk processing unit in UPSIDA Agro Park Karkhiyaon; various infrastructure work at UPSIDA Agro Park, Karkhiyaon; and silk fabric printing common facility centre for weavers and multiple projects related to tourism and spiritual tourism in his parliamentary constituency. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Varanasi.
Augmenting the health infrastructure in Varanasi, Mr Modi will lay the foundation stone of a new Medical College in Varanasi. He will also lay the foundation stone of National Centre of Ageing at BHU. Prime Minister will inaugurate the Sigra Sports Stadium Phase-1 and District Rifle Shooting Range, a step towards strengthening the sports infrastructure in the city.
