Farmers Movement Archive

India giving befitting reply to anti-national forces, PM Modi says in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday India is giving a befitting reply to anti-national forces inside and out of the country as he paid tributes to the soldiers of the country. “On the occasion of Dev Deepawali, I pay my tributes to all those who have laid their lives for the nation. The nation is giving a befitting reply to the expansionist forces, to those trying to infiltrate into India or those trying to break India from India,” he said ar Raj Ghat in his parliamentary constitution of Varanasi.The Prime Minister also talked about the ancient idol of Goddess Annapurna, stolen from a temple in Varanasi and smuggled out of the country in 1913, which will be brought back to India from Canada. “There is another special occasion for Kashi. More than 100 years ago, the idol of Mata Annapurna that was stolen from Kashi is now coming back again. Mother Annapurna is returning home once again. It is a matter of great fortune for Kashi,” he said.The Prime Minister said these ancient idols of our gods and goddesses are a symbol of our faith as well as our priceless heritage. It is also true that if such effort had been made earlier, the country would have got back many such statues. But some people think in a different way, he said. “For us heritage means the country’s heritage. While inheritance means for some people, their family and their family name. For us heritage means our culture, our faith, our values. For them, heritage means their idols and family photos,” he said.“Today, along with the banks of Ma Ganga, Kashi is celebrating Dev Deepawali and with the blessings of Mahadev, I also got an opportunity to take dip in the light of the festivities,” he said in his address.The Prime Minister lit a lamp at Raj Ghat in Varanasi during the Dev Deepawali, a festival of light and fervour in Varanasi celebrated on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartik 15 days after Diwali. The stairs at the ghat have been decorated with flowers and a red carpet and artists have created rangolis and painted pots. Officials have been said 1.1 million earthern lamps will be lit on the banks of the river.Before this, PM Modi offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple along with chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He also launched the Pawan Path website which will provide information about temples of Kashi. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the six-lane widening project of the Handia in Prayagraj to Varanasi’s Rajatalab section of National Highway 19 during his visit. The 73-km stretch of the newly widened and six laned NH19, made with a total outlay of Rs 2,447 crore, is expected to reduce the travel time between Prayagraj and Varanasi by one hour, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.Modi said during one of his speeches that farmers, who have been protesting the three farm laws, said they they were being misled and reiterated that the deregulation would benefit them. “The new agricultural laws have been brought in for benefit of the farmers. We will see and experience benefits of these new laws in the coming days,” he said and blamed the opposition for spreading rumours about the future of farmers.As PM Modi concluded his speech, he said that the stream of development will keep flowing like Ma Ganga. He will go to Sarnath and would watch a light and sound show.

Hindustan Times

30-11-2020

India