LUCKNOW: Reiterating his resolve to make India the third largest economic power in the world in his third innings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a bid to reject the Opposition’s demand for a caste census, said that only four castes comprising women, youth, deprived sections and farmers existed in the country. He added that their empowerment would catapult the country into a developed nation.
Dedicating and laying the foundation of development projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi during his 43rd visit in the last nine years as its MP, the PM said, “When Kashi develops, UP develops and when UP develops, the country develops.” The PM took part in a rural leg of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in Sevapuri block of Varanasi on the concluding day of his two-day trip to Kashi on Monday.
The Prime Minister also flagged off four trains, including the second Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to New Delhi on the occasion.
Regretting that Purvanchal had been neglected for decades, the PM said that with the blessings of Mahadev, he was engaged in the service of the people of eastern UP. “Behind Modi's guarantee is the strength of my family of Kashi. You always stand with me and strengthen my resolutions,” added the PM.
He said that unlike earlier, now the government was reaching out to the poor, adding that this approach had inculcated confidence among the people. “The beneficiaries of welfare schemes are confident of improvement in living standard, those who have not got the benefits so far, have the confidence that they will for sure,” he said, adding that the countrymen were confident that India would become a developed nation by 2047.
Earlier, the PM inaugurated the Swaraveda Mahamandir on Monday. The world’s biggest meditation and Sadhna centre, the 7-storyed temple, capable of hosting at least 20,000 people in one go, is an architectural marvel in white Makrana marble. Spread across 64,000 sq ft area, the temple has come up at a cost of Rs 35 crore.
Calling it a living example of spirituality, history and culture, the PM launched an attack on previous governments for allegedly neglecting the cultural and spiritual heritage of the country.
“After independence, the governments did not bother to protect or restore the cultural and spiritual heritage which had borne the brunt of foreign invasions from time to time. The mentality of slavery was still at play. Even the restoration of the Somnath temple in Gujarat was opposed by them,” said the PM while taking a jibe at those who ruled the country after independence.
He asserted that now after a passage of 70 years, the times have changed and a robust campaign to safeguard and restore the glory of India's spiritual and cultural past was on.
“The grandeur of Vishwanath Dham in Kashi tells the saga of the imperishable glory of India. Mahalok is giving proof of immortality. Kedarnath Dham is also touching new heights of development. By developing the Buddha Circuit, India is inviting the world back to the abode of Buddha. The construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya is also going to be completed in the next few weeks,” he remarked, adding that pilgrimage sites were being developed and India was setting new records in modern infrastructure as well.
Paying tributes to Maharishi Sadaphal Dev Ji whose 100 ft tall statue adorns the courtyard of the temple, PM Modi said, “Today, the completion of Swaraveda temple is an example of this divine inspiration. This great temple is a symbol of the teachings of Maharishi Sadaphal Dev Ji. As much as the divinity of this temple attracts, its grandeur astonishes.”
The PM mentioned the symbols of heritage reflecting the richness of Indian culture. “We have created patterns of progress and set standards for prosperity. We were blessed with vibrant cultural centres like Kashi, built temples like Konark, constructed inspirational stupas in Sarnath and Gaya while universities like Takshashila and Nalanda were also established,” he pointed out.