Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 29th October addressed the nation in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Prime Minister highlighted sell of khadi in Khadi Mahotsav. He said the rise in the sale of Khadi means its benefit reaches myriad sections across cities and villages. Benefiting from these sales are our weavers, handicraft artisans, our farmers, cottage industries. The following are highlights of the address :
• The ongoing Khadi Mahotsav this month has broken all its previous sales records. You will be pleased to know of another fact that earlier in the country, whereas the sale of Khadi products could barely touch thirty thousand crore rupees; now this is rising to reach almost 1.25 lakh crore rupees. The rise in the sale of Khadi means its benefit reaches myriad sections across cities and villages. Benefiting from these sales are our weavers, handicraft artisans, our farmers, cottage industries engaged in growing Ayurvedic plants, everyone is getting the benefit of this sale… and, this is the strength of the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign.
• Mera Yuva Bharat’s website My Bharat is also about to be launched. I would urge the youth – I would urge them again and again that all of you Youth of my country, all you sons and daughters of my country, register on MyBharat.gov.in and sign up for various programs. The 31st of October is also the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi Ji. I also pay my heartfelt tribute to her.
• My family members, the entire country will celebrate the ‘Janjaatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on the 15th of November. This special day is associated with the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Bhagwan Birsa Munda dwells in the hearts of all of us. We can learn from his life what true courage is and what it means to stand firm on one’s resolve. He never accepted foreign rule. He envisioned a society where there was no room for injustice. He wanted that every person should be entitled to a life of dignity and equality.
• India has a rich history of tribal warriors. It was on this very land of India that the great Tilka Manjhi sounded the trumpet against injustice. From this very land Sidhho – Kanhu raised the voice for equality. We are proud that the warrior Tantiya Bheel was born on our soil. We remember Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh with full reverence, who stood by his people in difficult circumstances.
• Be it Veer RamJi Gond, Veer Gundadhur, Bheema Nayak, their courage still inspires us. The country still remembers the spirit that Alluri Sitaram Raju instilled in the tribal brothers and sisters. We also get a lot of inspiration from freedom fighters like Kiang Nobang and Rani Gaidinliu in the North East. It is from the tribal community that the country got women brave hearts like RajMohini Devi and Rani Kamlapati. The country is currently celebrating the 500th Birth Anniversary of Rani Durgavati Ji, who inspired the tribal society. I hope that more and more youth of the country will know about the tribal personalities of their region and derive inspiration from them. The country is grateful to its tribal society, which has always held the self-respect and upliftment of the nation paramount.
• My family members, today there is no area of life where we are not able to see the capacity potential of woman power. In this era, when their achievements are being appreciated everywhere, we also have to remember a woman saint who showed the power of Bhakti, whose name is recorded in the golden annals of history.