India a geocultural nation, culture binds regions, says Shah

PUDUCHERRY: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said culture was the common thread binding the citizens of the country across different regions and once India is started to be seen as a “geocultural” country, all the problems will be solved automatically.

In his address at the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Aurobindo in this union territory, Shah heaped praises on the latter for his contributions to the country and said to understand India, one has to read or listen to him. “From Kashmir to Kanyakumari to Dwaraka to Bengal, there is one culture that binds--Constitution is important... country should run on this. But if there is a bonding, it is the culture. The culture is its soul. This will be understood as soon as you read Sri Aurobindo,” he said. Shah further said most countries came into existence due to a coalition or alliance and were therefore geopolitical in nature. “There is one country in the world that is geocultural that is based on culture which has no boundaries and that is our India... and if one starts to look at India as a geocultural country, then all the problems will be automatcially solved,” he claimed. There is no concept of border in our culture and the Vedas, Upanishads and literature there is no mention of a country. “We work for the welfare of all, the world,” he said.

PM Narendra Modi’s decision to celebrate the 75th year of independence as “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” was driven by the consideration to honour even the unknown freedom fighters and take all those involved in the freedom struggle to the younger masses and reinvigorate a sense patriotism among them, he said.