Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that violence and cruelty can’t solve any problem and that it was always peace and non-violence which win even as he paid rich tributes to Jan Sangh leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee saying he had sacrificed his life at the age of just 52 for unity and integrity of the country.
June 23 was yesterday observed by the BJP as the day of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s martyrdom and the function was attended by BJP national president Amit Shah. July 6 will be observed as Mukherjee’s birthday, who had sacrificed his life in Srinagar in 1952 while fighting for ‘Ek Vidhaan, Ek Pradhaan, Ek Nishaan’.
In his month Radio Address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said yesterday was the death anniversary of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who was associated with many fields, but the areas which were closest to his heart were education, administration and Parliamentary Affairs. Very few people would know that he was the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta at merely 33 years of age.
“For Mukherjee, the most important thing was the integrity and unity of India – and for this, at the young age of 52, he also sacrificed his life. Come! Let us forever remember Mukherjee’s message of unity imbued with the spirit of goodwill and brotherhood and remain proactive with all our might for the progress of India,” the Prime Minister said.
He added very few people would be knowing that in 1937, on the invitation of Mukherjee, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore addressed the convocation in Kolkata University in Bangla.
“This was the first time under British rule that the convocation in Kolkata University had been addressed in Bangla. From 1947 to 1950, Mukherjee was the first Industries Minister of India and, in a sense, he laid a strong foundation for India’s industrial development. He had prepared a solid base, it was he who had prepared a stout platform. The first industrial policy of Independent India, which came out in 1948, was stamped with his ideas and vision. Dr. Mukherjee’s dream was for India to be industrially self-reliant, competent and prosperous in every sphere,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi said Mukherjee wanted India to develop heavy industries and also pay full attention to MSME, handloom, textiles and cottage industry. For the proper development of cottage and small industries with finance availability and organizational setup- All India Handicrafts Board, All India Handloom Board and Khadi & Village Industries Board were established between 1948 and 1950.
“There was also a special emphasis by Mukherjee on indigenization of India’s defence production, in the establishment of four most successful mega projects- Chittaranjan locomotive works factory, Hindustan aircraft factory, Sindri fertilizer factory and Damodar Valley Corporation and other river valley projects, Mukherjee contributed significantly. He was very passionate about the development of West Bengal. It was the result of his understanding, prudence and activism that a part of Bengal could be saved and it is still a part of India,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the everlasting message left behind by incidents such as Jalianwala Bagh massacre is that cruelty and violence cannot solve any problem. He noted that peace and non-violence always win.
Referring to the incident which will complete 100 years next year, he said people must remember the message it has imparted.
Hundreds of innocent people were killed and injured when British army fired at them in Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
“Violence and cruelty can never solve any problem. It is peace and non-violence, renunciation and martyrdom that are triumphant in the end,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister did not refer to any specific incident while speaking on violence.
Besides the incident of lynching in Hapur allegedly over cow slaughter, people have also been killed in the recent past over fake WhatsApp messages on child lifters on the prowl.
Modi observed the history of India’s struggle for independence was very long, very vast and filled with countless sacrifices.
“In the year 2019, 100 years of the horrific incident of Jallianwala Bagh will come to a full circle; it was an incident that embarrassed the entire humanity.”
“Who can forget that dark day of April 13, 1919, when abusing all limits of power, crossing all the boundaries of cruelty; the guiltless, unarmed and innocent people were fired upon. How can we remember the completion of 100 years of this horrific event is something we can all give a thought to,” he said.
PTI adds: Referring to violence, the Prime Minister weaved in the teachings of Guru Nanak and Kabir Das to drive home the point that there is a need to eradicate caste-based discrimination and need to embrace humanity.
He said the 550th ‘Prakash Parv’ (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev will be celebrated in 2019.
“I want all of us to join this great festival with enthusiasm and fervour. To celebrate this festival in the entire Indian society and around the world, I also urge you to suggest new ideas, new concepts, and innovations on which we can ponder and make preparations and thus we can also celebrate the prakash parv as ‘prerna parv (festival of inspiration) with great pride,” he said.
Referring to his proposed visit to Maghar on June 28, Modi recalled the contribution of 15th-century poet and saint Kabir Das in dispelling superstitions.
He said despite a common belief that death in Maghar was a roadblock in reaching heaven, Kabir Das preferred to breathe his last there.
Describing the goods and service tax (GST) as a fine example of cooperative federalism, Modi said the new system is a “festival of honesty” which had ended ‘inspector raj’ in the country.
As the new tax regime completes one year, the Prime Minister said if he has to credit anyone for the successful implementation of ‘one nation, one tax’ system, it is the States.
“GST is a great example of cooperative federalism, where all the States decided to take a unanimous decision in the interest of the nation, and then such a huge tax reform could be implemented in the country,” he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that so far there have been 27 meetings of the GST Council and decisions have been taken unanimously.
“These meetings involve representatives of different States; States which have different priorities, but in spite of all this, all the decisions that have been taken in the GST Council so far have been taken with absolute consensus,” he said.
He said GST is not only the victory of integrity but it is also a celebration of honesty. “Earlier, in the case of taxation and allied affairs in the country, there were rampant complaints of inspector raj. In the GST scheme, information technology has replaced the inspector”.
He said while usually such a massive tax reform takes five to seven years for effective adoption, it took people only a year to adopt it.
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