Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at an event in Varanasi on Friday, said that the INDIA coalition is exploiting people in the name of casteism. He was speaking at a function to commemorate the 647th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas.
The PM, who arrived at his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on Thursday evening, earlier took part in a prize distribution ceremony at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and prayed at the Sant Ravidas temple.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | In Varanasi, PM Narendra Modi says, "Words of saints show us the path in every era and even warn us. Ravidas ji used to say that…most people get entangled in caste and creed. This harms humanity. When someone discriminates against someone on the basis… pic.twitter.com/MlFrboOMeV
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2024
PM Modi hails ‘festival of development’ in Kashi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the festival of development is underway in Kashi, which is a “moment of pride for the whole country”.
Starting his address at BHU with slogans of “Har Har Mahadev”, PM Modi said, “Coming among the youth at BHU seems like taking a dip in knowledge.”
“In Kashi, the one who does is Mahadev. Where the Mahadev’s blessing is there, that piece of land becomes prosperous. Hence, with the blessings of Mahadev, the damroo (drum) of development has been playing in Kashi over the last 10 years. Today once again, projects worth crores are being inaugurated for the Kashi family,” he said. “Today is the festival of development in Kashi,” said PM Modi.
“Kashi is the capital of sarva vidya. Today, that form of Kashi is being beautified once again, and this a moment of pride for the whole country,” he added. Thanking the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Nyas, the Kashi Vidwat Parishad and others, he said, “You have played a huge role in helping to fulfil my vision as the MP of Kashi… The development work in the last 10 years in Kashi, and the road of development taken by Kashi is also part of the coffee table book being launched here.”
“I was seeing the Kashi MP Photography competition gallery. In the last 10 years, the Ganga of development has blessed Kashi… Kashi has changed so much in the last 10 years,” he said.
“Kashi is not just the centre of faith for us. It is India’s everlasting consciousness. There was a time when the story of India’s prosperity was told everywhere. Behind this, was not just the economic power but also, the cultural prosperity, and social prosperity,” said PM Modi.
Talking about the Vishwanath Dham, he stated, “I had said during its inauguration that it will give India a decisive direction, and will take India towards a bright future. Can you see it today or not?”
Later today, PM Modi will participate in a public function where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 13,000 crore including the foundation stone laying of road projects like the four-laning of the Ghaghra bridge-Varanasi section of National Highway-233; four-laning of the Sultanpur-Varanasi section of NH-56, six-laning of the Varanasi-Aurangabad section of NH-19; four-laning of the Varanasi-Hanumana section on NH-35 along with a railway over-bridge on the Varanasi-Jaunpur rail section near Babatpur.
