New Delhi: Urging Indians to take pride in “swadeshi” (made in India) products as the festival season peaks in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that “vocal for local” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” will lead to a developed India.
In his monthly radio programme “Mann ki Baat”, Mr Modi said, “Everything that is needed in life should be swadeshi.” The Prime Minister’s reiteration on swadeshi came amid a dip in the ties with the US after President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods.
Noting that the Ganesh festival is being celebrated in different parts of the country, while Durga Puja and Diwali are approaching, Mr Modi said people should never forget about swadeshi products during the festivals, be it in purchasing gifts, clothes, decor items or anything else.
“Say with pride this is swadeshi…say with pride this is swadeshi…say with pride this is swadeshi. We have to move forward with this feeling. The only mantra is vocal for local, the only path is Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the only goal is developed India,” the PM asserted.
Mentioning the unveiling of the 51-feet-tall statue of Lord Ram at Mississauga in Canada earlier this month, Mr Modi said love for the Ramayana and Indian culture is now reaching every corner of the world. He also talked about a unique exhibition held in Vladivostok this month, in which paintings made by Russian children on different themes of the Ramayana were showcased.
“It is indeed heartening to see the growing awareness of Indian culture in different parts of the world,” said the PM.
Mr Modi also noted with anguish the havoc natural disasters have wreaked during the rainy season. “This monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country… At places, homes were destroyed. At others, fields were submerged and families were ruined in large numbers. Elsewhere, bridges were swept away by gushing water, roads were washed away and people’s lives were enmeshed in danger. These incidents have saddened every Indian,” Mr Modi said, adding that national and state emergency forces have toiled day and night to help people and modern technology and resources have been deployed in rescue and relief works.
In the 125th episode of Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister also highlighted two major achievements of Jammu and Kashmir amid the devastating natural calamity — the first day-night cricket match in Pulwama and the ‘Khelo India Water Sports Festival’ at Dal Lake in Srinagar.
“Not many people noticed these. But you will be happy to know about those achievements. A record number of people gathered in a stadium in Pulwama, where the first day-night cricket match was played. Earlier this was impossible, but now my country is changing,” Mr Modi said. The second event that caught attention was the country’s first Khelo India water sports festival that was held at Dal Lake in Srinagar.
Mr Modi said the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat” and the country’s unity are important for development and sports play a big role in it.
The Prime Minister also mentioned German coach Dietmar Beiersdorfer, who has offered to train football players of Shahdol after Mr Modi had spoken about the growing craze for the sport in his podcast with Lex Fridman. Mr Beiersdorfer contacted the Indian embassy in Germany, expressing interest in coaching some players.
In the broadcast, Mr Modi also played an audio bite of India’s first home minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, in connection with the operation to liberate Hyderabad from the Nizam rule.
“Next month, in September, we will celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day. This is the same month when we will remember the courage of all those heroes who took part in Operation Polo,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr Modi noted that the Nizam’s forces and Razakars, a private militia, killed people even for hoisting the tricolour or chanting “Vande Mataram” after India got Independence, prompting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to launch Operation Polo.
