RSS 'banyan tree' of India’s immortal culture and modernisation: PM Modi
Nagpur (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as the "vatvruksh", or banyan tree, of India’s immortal culture and modernisation whose ideals and principles were to protect the national consciousness.
India today is surging ahead by discarding the "slave mentality" and symbols of slavery, Modi further said after laying the foundation stone of Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, a new extension building of Madhav Netralaya Eye Institute & Research Centre in Nagpur.
''We discarded the penal code which was made with a slave mentality and implemented the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Our mantra of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family) is reaching all corners of the globe,'' he said.
The RSS volunteers are working selflessly in various spheres in different parts of the country, the PM said.
"The Sangh is the ‘banyan tree’ of India’s immortal culture and modernisation," Modi said. ''This large vatvruksh is not an ordinary one," he said, adding the RSS is synonymous to service.
Madhav Netralaya was founded in 2014 in memory of late RSS chief Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar.
Modi described it as an institution serving the society for several decades on the ideals of Golwalkar, the second RSS chief.
The new project will end darkness in the people's lives and expedite the service, he said.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was present at the event.
Modi said the government’s policy is to ensure the best medical treatment to the poorest of the poor, Modi said.
There has been a three-fold increase in the number of operational All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) under his regime, he said.
“Our government is making efforts to provide more and better doctors to people,” the prime minister said.
Crores of people are getting free medical treatment due to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Modi said.
Modi said the ''tapasya'' of RSS with its ''sanghathan'' and ''samarpan'' in the last 100 years is showing fruits as the country approaches its target of 'Viksit Bharat' in 2047.
The 1925-47 was a crisis period as the country was fighting for independence and now, after 100 years, the RSS is stepping into another milestone, he said.
''(The time span from) 2025 to 2047 is important because big goals are ahead of us. We have to lay the foundation stone of the next 1,000 years of a strong and developed India,'' Modi said.
He said the risk-taking capacity of the youth has increased, they are making new innovations in start-ups and are also proud of their own legacy.
Crores of youth visited the Maha Kumbh (held in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26 this year), they have made 'Make in India' (initiative) a success and have become '' vocal for local'', Modi said.
The youth are participating in nation-building -- from sports to space, the prime minister noted.
Modi also said India launched 'Operation Brahma' to help Myanmar battling damages due to a massive earthquake there recently, and added that COVID-19 vaccines were being provided to several countries.
The PM greeted people on Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, starting of Navratri and other festivals being celebrated across the country.
Modi said he also visited Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur and offered tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, whose birth anniversary falls next month.
The nation is celebrating 75 years of the Constitution this year and the RSS is completing 100 years (of its formation), he noted.
Modi said the Madhav Netralaya was giving impetus to the health sector and the government's priority has been to provide better health infrastructure to all sections of the people.
''Senior citizens' welfare is the government's policy through the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The poor and the middle class are getting affordable medicines, and in the last 10 years, Ayushman Arogya mandirs have been providing daily medical consultation in rural areas. We have increased the number of medical colleges and the operational AIIMS have been increased three-fold,'' he said.
Underscoring the need for providing more and better doctors, Modi said his government had decided to impart medical education to students in their mother tongue so that those from the poor families can become doctors.
On the occasion, Bhagwat said the Madhav Netralaya worked hard for several years for people's welfare. It is inspired by the Sangh's ideology of selfless service, he said.
'' It doesn't look good that people are bereft of health facilities and hence, the RSS volunteers have selflessly worked to provide vision to the needy at the Madhav Netralaya,'' he said.
The RSS volunteers don't seek anything for themselves but work for others in the society, Bhagwat said.
Service is life's mission for the RSS, he added.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
