From Lord Ram to Arjuna and Krishna, many Indian mythological heroes found a place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Even as he began to speak, Modi noticed children dressed like Bal Gopal (young Krishna) sitting in the audience. He took the opportunity to draw a parallel between Krishna and Mahatma Gandhi, thereby underlining India’s rich heritage and culture. “From that Mohan with the Sudarshan chakra to the other Mohan (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) with the charkha — everybody has been a part of our culture,” the Prime Minister said.
He later interacted with children and took selfies, even as his special protection group (SPG) officers battled to keep the excited crowd of admirers at bay.
Modi said 2017 was a special year because it encompassed many momentous occasions, including the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, 100th anniversary of the Champaran Satyagraha and 125th anniversary of the Ganesh Utsav. “This is a special year for Independent India,” he added.
The Prime Minister cited the advice Arjuna took from Lord Krishna before the Kurukshetra battle to make people pledge to build a new India by 2022 – the country’s 75th year of Independence. “Krishna told Arjun that nothing can stop him if his faith is strong. Similarly, nothing can stop the people of this country if their faith is strong,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The Prime Minister cited the advice Arjuna took from Lord Krishna before the Kurukshetra battle to make people pledge to build a new India by 2022 – the country’s 75th year of Independence. “Krishna told Arjun that nothing can stop him if his faith is strong. Similarly, nothing can stop the people of this country if their faith is strong,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Modi also cited an instance from Lord Krishna’s life to demonstrate how every difficulty can be surmounted. “Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill… this shows how tough challenges can be met,” he said.