New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon people to stay united in pursuit of 'viksit Bharat' and warned them against the forces seeking to weaken the country and break its unity.
Addressing a 'Parakram Diwas' event held in Cuttack to commemorate Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary in the city of his birth, Modi said the iconic freedom fighter's life is a source of continuous inspiration for people.
In the remarks delivered virtually, he said Netaji, as Bose was fondly called, chose to shun his comfort zone and preferred to struggle for the country's independence.
Modi said, "He never got trapped in a comfort zone. Similarly, we all have to step out of our comfort zone to build a viksit Bharat. We have to make ourselves the best globally. We have to choose excellence and focus on efficiency."
Bose was single-mindedly focussed on the country's 'swaraj' (self-rule) and people from diverse backgrounds united for the cause, he said. "Now we have to stay united for a developed India," he added.
He said people should seek inspiration from Bose's life for India's unity. "We have to stay alert to those who wanted to weaken the country and break its unity," he said.
The prime minister cited a host of decisions, including the naming of islands in the Andamans after Bose, the installation of his statue at India Gate and the celebration of his birth anniversary as 'Parakram Diwas', taken by his government to emphasise its work to promote his legacy.
Bose took pride in India's heritage, he said. The fast pace of development, he added, goes hand in hand with people's progress, strengthening of the armed forces and overall development.
While over 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, modern infrastructure is also being built and the strength of armed forces has risen in an unprecedented manner in the last decade, he said. India has emerged as a strong voice globally, he added.
