This year’s Vijaya Dashami ‘very special’: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said this year’s Vijaya Dashami is “very special” for the country, an apparent reference to the Army’s surgical strikes on terror launch pads across LOC, even as he stressed that a “very capable” armed forces is a must for a strong nation.

“We will celebrate Vijaya Dashami in the coming days. This year’s Vijaya Dashami is very special for the country,” he said, evoking a thunderous applause from the audience at a function at Vigyan Bhavan here.

His remarks came in the backdrop of Indian Army’s surgical strikes in POK. He also gave his best wishes to the people on the occasion of the festival that marks victory of good over evil.

The Prime Minister released a compendium of 15 books on the life and teachings of former Jana Sangh chief Deendayal Upadhyay whose birth centenary year is being celebrated by BJP.

Modi said Upadhyay’s biggest contribution was the concept of organisation-based political party and not a political outfit run by a handful of individuals. 

Shah, at the function to release “The Complete Works of Deendayal Upadhyaya”, said the former Jana Sangh chief’s philosophy is an ideal for those in public life and warnings given by him many years ago are staring at the world today.

“The concept of maintaining a balance between development and nature that he put forth, is before us today in the form of global warming and air and water pollution. If the world would have moved forward on the path of integral humanism, then probably the world would not have faced the present-day problems,” he said.

“Earlier it was considered that there is a contradiction between a welfare state and development. This BJP government has proved that despite being poor the country can be empowered.

“This government has made this country secure. Without diverting from the path of peace, the BJP government has ensured the country’s safety and security,” he said.

Shah lauded Upadhyay as a successful politician who laid the foundation for an alternative to Congress when no option against it was available. He also highlighted his example of evolving alternative politics on basis of ideals, organisation and nationalism.

“He was the first to talk of cultural nationalism and that was his contribution to the country’s polity. He had sown the seed of organisation-based political party’s thought and BJP has on Sunday emerged as a big party and it was imperative upon all workers to follow the path shown by him,” he said.

Earlier, RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi said the thoughts of Upadhyay given many years ago are now recognised by the world.

He said the late Jana Sangh leader accepted everything that went in the welfare of humanity and had said that if humans are happy the society will be happier.

“India should be safe and secure. It’s borders are posing a challenge and everyone has seen that this issue can be resolved too,” he said.

“India has a lot to give to the world and that is being recognised now. India’s strength is never destructive, but constructive. India’s strength has never been used to spread boundaries and be expansionist. We go to win over the world but not defeat anyone...There is need that India should be a country that should lead the world,” he also said.

The compendium highlights key events in the life of Upadhyay and the journey of the Jana Sangh and of the country, including watershed events like the 1965 Indo- Pakistan war, the Tashkent Agreement and Goa’s liberation.