Efforts being made to break, but no power could finish India: PM Modi
PM Modi was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 1111 birth anniversary of Devnarayan, a folk deity, at Malesari village of Bhilwara district.
Despite efforts being made to break India geographically, culturally, socially and ideologically, no power could finish India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday in Rajasthan.
PM Modi was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 1111 birth anniversary of Devnarayan, a folk deity, at Malesari village of Bhilwara district. Union minister of state for culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, head priest of Malaseri Dugri, Shri Hemraj Gurjar, several MPs, MLAs, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were present on the occasion.
The PM arrived in Malaseri on Saturday morning where he offered prayers at the Devnarayan temple.
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Referring to the continued ancient flow of Indian consciousness, the PM said that India is not just a land mass but is an expression of civilisation, culture, harmony and possibilities.
Modi said many other civilisations perished as they could not adapt to the changing times, but Indian civilisation has endured for thousands of years.
“Today’s India is laying the foundations for a grand future,” he said, adding that the strength that sustains India comes from the society and the people in all corners of the country.
“Throughout history, the strength inherent in our society has played an important role. In every significant period of our history, there emerges an energy that acts as the guiding light for everyone,” he said.
Lauding Devnarayan’s service to humanity, Modi said he always gave precedence to service and people’s welfare.
“The path shown by Bhagwan Devnarayan is of ‘Sabka Vikas’ through ‘Sabka Saath’. We are walking on the path shown by Devnarayan and trying to empower the marginalised sections. We are moving with the mantra of ‘precedence to the deprived’,” the PM said.
“It is a coincidence that the 1111 birth anniversary of Devnarayan ji, who appeared on a lotus when he was born, is in the same year in which India assumed the presidency of G-20. The G-20 logo also shows the lotus carrying the earth… And we are those who have been born with the lotus… we share a strong relationship,” he said.
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While the BJP said this is not a political visit, the party is eyeing political mileage from the PM’s presence at the event.
Devnarayan is a folk deity of Rajasthan who is revered by Gurjars across India.
Gurjars hold sway on as many as 40 assembly seats in 15 districts of eastern Rajasthan. In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP fielded nine Gurjars but lost all. The Gurjar community voted almost en masse for the Congress in the hope that Sachin Pilot, a Gurjar, would become Rajasthan chief minister. All eight Gurjar candidates fielded by the Congress won in 2018.
