India running on tracks of heritage, development: PM Modi

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) India is expressing pride over its legacy with tremendous self-respect and is asserting that it will strengthen its traditions while ushering in modernity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

He also said that the country’s policies and efforts have no discrimination, and are aimed at serving the poor, the backwards and the deprived on priority.

Modi made the remarks after inaugurating celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of social reformer and Arya Samaj founder Dayanand Saraswati.

The prime minister also unveiled the logo of the birth anniversary celebrations.

Modi said India is showing the way to the world in the field of environment. He also said it was a matter of pride that India was chairing the G20 this year.

“The country today with tremendous self respect is expressing pride over its legacy.The country is saying with full self-confidence that we will strengthen our traditions while ushering in modernity,” Modi said.

The country is running on the tracks of ‘virasat (heritage)’ and ‘vikas (development)’, the prime minister said.

Modi said when he talks of walking on the ‘kartavya path’, some people say that he talks about duties but not rights.

“If this is the case with me in the 21st century then imagine 150-years-ago what kind of difficulties Swami Dayanand would have faced in showing the path to the society,” he said.

“The path shown by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati instills hope in crores of people,” he said.

Modi called the occasion historic and said it was an inspiration for the future of humanity.

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati became a voice for empowerment of India’s women and launched a strong campaign against social discrimination and untouchability, he said.

Modi said today the daughters of the country are taking on major roles from being deployed in Siachen to flying Rafale fighter planes.

Born in 1824, Saraswati worked to counter the then prevalent social inequities. Arya Samaj has played a key role in cultural and social awakening of the country by its emphasis on social reforms and education, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said in a statement.

The government has been committed to celebrating social reformers and important personalities, especially those whose contributions were not given their due yet on a pan-India scale, it had said.

From declaring the birth anniversary of Birsa Muda as the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas to participating in a programme commemorating Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Modi has been leading such initiatives from the front, the PMO had said.