The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today paid tribute to all the freedom fighters, movements, uprising and struggle of the freedom movement. He specially paid homage to the movements, struggles and personalities who have not been duly recognized in the saga of the glorious freedom struggle of India. He was speaking after launching the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (India@75) at Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad today.
Lauding the contribution of lesser known movements and struggles, the Prime Minister said that each and every struggle and fight was India’s strong declaration of truth against the forces of falsehood, a testimony to India’s independent temperament. He said, these struggles represented the same consciousness and valour which was evident from the days of Ram, Kurukshetra of Mahabharat, Haldighati and roar of Veer Shivaji.
The Prime Minister noted Kol, Khasi, Santhal, Naga, Bhil, Munda, Sanyasi, Ramoshi, Kittur movement, Travancore movement, Bardoli Satyagrah, Champaran Satyagrah, Sambhalpur, Chuar, Bundel and Kuka uprisings and movements. Shri Modi said that many such struggle kept the flame of freedom burning bright in every period and region of the country. The Sikh Guru tradition energized the country for protection of the culture and traditions, he said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that we should always remember that the work of keeping the flame of freedom burning was relentlessly done by our saints, mahants and acharyas in every part of the country. That created the bedrock of the nation-wide freedom struggle.
The Prime Minister said, in the East, saints like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shrimant Sankara Dev gave direction to the society and kept them focussed on the goal. In the West, Meerabai, Eknath, Tukaram, Ramdas and Narsi Mehta, In North Sant Ramanand, Kabirdas, Goswami Tulsidas, Soordas, Guru Nanak Dev, Sant Raidas took up the mantle. Similarly, South had Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya and Ramanujacharya.
The Prime Minister said during the Bhakti Period, personalities like Malik Mohammad Jayasi, Ras khan, Soordas, Keshavdas and Vidyapati inspired the society for reforming its defects. These personalities were responsible for the pan-India nature of the freedom Movement. The Prime Minister stressed the need to take the biographies of these heroes and heroines to the people. These inspiring stories will teach valuable lessons to our new generations about, unity and will to achieve goals, The Prime Minister concluded.
