The Armed Forces Must Be Very ‘Capable’: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this year’s Vijaya Dashami was “very special” for India, an apparent reference to the Army’s surgical strikes on terror launch pads across Line of Control (LoC), even as he stressed that a “very capable” armed forces is a must for a strong nation. “We will celebrate Vijaya Dashami in the coming days. This year’s Vijaya Dashami is very special for the country,” he said, evoking a thunderous applause from the audience at a function at Vigyan Bhavan. His remarks came in the backdrop of Indian Army’s surgical strikes in POK. He also gave his best wishes to the people on the occasion of the festival that marks victory of good over evil. The Prime Minister released a compendium of 15 books on the life and teachings of former Jana Sangh chief Deendayal Upadhyay whose birth centenary year is being celebrated by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mr Modi said Upadhyay’s biggest contribution was the concept of organisation-based political party and not a political outfit run by a handful of individuals. Quoting Upadhyay, the PM stressed on the need for an exceptionally strong military as a prerequisite for a strong nation and said the country must be a capable one which is a present-day requirement. “He (Upadhyay) used to say that the country’s armed forces should be very very capable, then only the nation can be strong,” Mr Modi said.
“In this time of competitiveness, the need is that the nation should be capable and strong,” he said.
In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Mr Modi said, “Being strong does not mean being against anyone. If we exercise for our strength, then the neighbour need not worry (thinking) that it is to target him. I am exercising to strengthen myself and for my health.” Referring to Upadhyay, he said even Ram Manohar Lohia spoke about the Jana Sangh leader’s efforts that led to the evolution of an alternative to Congress in 1967. The Prime Minister said as a tribute to Upadhyay, who talked of integral humanism, his government was making the poorest of the poor the focus of schemes evolved by it.
“The biggest contribution of Deendayalji is organisation- based political parties and not just a party run by a handful of individuals. This was the identity of Jana Sangh and BJP,” he said. “In a short span of time, one party completed the journey from to
and this was due to foundations laid by Deendayalji,” he said, adding that simplicity was the hallmark of the former Jana Sangh leader. Lauding the ideology of Upadhyay, Mr Modi said he gave impetus to ‘karyakarta nirman’ (building party workers) and the workers inspired by him were party centric and the party nation centric.
Times of India