KOLLAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the efforts of Mata Amritanandamayi and her Math for the services to the nation, during a video interaction at the relaunch of ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2018’, a national cleanliness campaign, on Saturday.
Recalling the Math’s efforts in rebuilding Gujarat after the earthquake in 2001, the Prime Minister said Mata Amritanandamayi’s contribution to Swachhata Hi Seva Abhiyan in the form of her blessings, time, resources, and the efforts of her volunteers had given the movement great speed and energy.
At the Prime Minister’s request, Amma spoke about environmental protection and cleanliness efforts of the Math. Stressing the importance of toilets for women, she said the village adoption programme under Amrita SeRVe had taught women in constructing toilets and become self-dependent.“It’s not enough to know about waste management. We also need to know how to stop producing waste,” Amma said.
Mata Amritanandamayi held a video conference in presence of devotees, disciples and students from the Mata Amritanandamayi Math’s university and schools at the ashram’s Darshan Hall on Saturday morning.
She was one of the selected few in the country along with actor Amitabh Bachchan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, industrialist Ratan Tata, and others, to interact with the Prime Minister on environmental protection and cleanliness.
After the interaction, Amma and devotees went to clean a 16-km stretch of coastal belt near the ashram. Among the devotees who participated were Durga Lekshmi and Suraj S, whose wedding was performed by Amma after the cleaning drive.