RAIPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India’s saints played a significant role in preserving the country’s culture, unity and knowledge.
Speaking at the ‘First Samadhi Mahotsav’ of Jain seer Acharya Vidyasagar Mahamuniraj in Dongargarh town of Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district, Shah said Jain monks worked towards uniting the country.
“Post-independence, when the country and the government began getting influenced by western thoughts, Acharya Vidyasagar continued to protect the Indian culture, religion and languages,” Shah said, adding the seer’s messages, discourses and writings are a precious heritage for the Jain community as well as the entire nation.
“The saint tradition of our country is very rich. Whenever the need arose, it played a role in protecting the country’s culture. During the period of slavery, they kept the nation’s consciousness alive through their spirit of devotion,” he said.
Shah said Acharya Vidyasagar was a ‘yug purush’ who started a new idea and era. “He inspired many people to take care of the country’s cottage industries and employment. He promoted ‘godhan’ (cattle), charkha (spinning wheel), handloom and local employment,” the minister said.