Says new India correcting mistakes of bygone decades
New Delhi, December 26
In the name of history, “concocted narratives” were taught to infuse inferiority and there is a need to break free from the “narrow views” of the past to move forward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, underlining that new India is correcting the mistakes of the bygone decades by restoring its long-lost legacy.
Speaking at the first ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ event, Modi paid tributes to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Guru Gobind Singh’s sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
“On one hand, there were forces of lakhs while on the other, there were just ‘Veer Sahibzaade’ who did not budge at all,” he said referring to the two martyred children of the Guru.
“Aurangzeb and his people wanted to convert the religion of Guru Gobind Singh’s children with the force of a sword and that is why he decided to kill them. Imagine that era when against the terror of Aurangzeb, against his plans to change India, Guru Gobind Singh stood like a mountain,” he said.
Modi said in the name of history, people were being taught versions that promoted an inferiority complex among them. To move forward in the ‘Amrit Kaal’ and to take India to the heights of success in the future, “We have to break free from narrow views of the past,” he added.
The prime minister said the new India is correcting the mistakes of the bygone decades by restoring its long-lost legacy.
“Every year, Veer Bal Diwas will remind everyone about the strength of our young generation,” he said..
He added that while the Mughals were backed by an army of millions, the Veer Sahibzades of the Guru had their courage.
“They did not bow down to the Mughals even though they were alone. This is when the Mughals walled them alive. Their bravery has been a source of inspiration for centuries,” he said.
Modi said, ‘Rastra Pratham’- country first, was the unshakable resolve of Guru Gobind Singh and corroborated the point by recounting the immense personal sacrifice of his family.
“This tradition of ‘nation first’ is a huge inspiration for us,” Modi stressed.
At the event, Modi also listened to ‘Shabad Kirtan’ recited by about 300 ‘Baal Kirtanis’.