Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: PRIME Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people across the country to mark the upcoming festive season by embracing Swadeshi goods, adopting the mantra of Vocal for Local, and walking the path of Aatmanirbhar Bharat to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Addressing the 125th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said, “At this time, the whole country is celebrating the pomp and fervour of Ganesh Utsav. The radiance of many festivals will spread in the coming days.”
Take pride in Swadeshi products
“You should never forget Swadeshi during these festivals. Gifts should be those made in India, attire should be woven in India, décor should be crafted from Indian materials, luminaries should come from Indian-made frills — everything in every need of life should be Swadeshi,” he added.
Urging citizens to take pride in indigenous products, the Prime Minister said, “We have to move forward with this feeling of pride for Swadeshi and say with pride, ‘this is Swadeshi’, while stressing, One mantra — Vocal for Local; One path — Aatmanirbhar Bharat; One goal — Viksit Bharat.” The PM also reminded citizens to uphold cleanliness during the festive season. “Amidst all this joy, keep emphasising cleanliness, because where there is cleanliness, the joy of festivals rises even more,”PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister emphasised the spirit of Ek Bharat-Shrestha Bharat and said the unity of the country is very important for the development of the nation and sports play a big role in it. He mentioned about first Khelo India Water Sports Festival which was held at Dal Lake in Srinagar where 800 athletes from all over the country participated. He praised the Indian Armed Forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), social workers and locals who have stepped in to help with the rescue efforts as the monsoon continues to wreak havoc in several parts of the country.
PM Modi said, “In this monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country. In the last few weeks, we have witnessed massive havoc caused by floods and landslides. Homes torn apart, fields submerged, entire families destroyed. The relentless surge in water levels swept away bridges; roads got washed away, and people’s lives were in danger.”