FEBRUARY 28: The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the Remembrance Day ceremony on 15th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna, Nanaji Deshmukh in Chitrakoot Madhya Pradesh today. On this occasion, several dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Rajendra Shukla, were present.
In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that on the occasion of Nanaji Deshmukh’s death anniversary, a tribute program was organized along with the inauguration of the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and the presentation based on the life of Lord Ram, “Ram Darshan.” He said that Nanaji Deshmukh is among those individuals whose life leaves an impact not for just a few years, but for centuries, and such people work towards making the era transformative.
Shri Shah said that Nanaji, who was born in Maharashtra, was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from his childhood. He became a pracharak of the RSS, made Uttar Pradesh his area of work, became the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and, along with Pandit Deendayal, traveled to every block and region in Uttar Pradesh to lay the foundation of the Jana Sangh. Nanaji got the privilege of being a centenarian by dedicating every moment of his life and every particle of his body to Mother India. He said that it is very difficult to go from the world as Ajatashatru while being in politics, but till today neither the ruling party nor any leader of the opposition heard anything wrong about Nanaji.
The Union Home Minister said that it is very difficult to gain universal acceptance while being in politics, as one often has to face opposition for political purposes. However, in his long life, no one had the courage to oppose Nanaji, nor did anyone consider it appropriate to oppose him. He said that Nanaji made connections in almost every field, including art, literature, industry, service, and politics, and earned acceptance and respect in each of those fields. Achieving so much in one lifetime is quite difficult. He said that through rural development, Nanaji Deshmukh implemented Pandit Deendayal’s principle of ‘Antyodaya’ on the ground.
Speaking about Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shri Amit Shah noted his pivotal role in foundation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He credited Pandit Deendayal with shaping the ideological foundation of the party and developing Ekatm Manavvaad (Integral Humanism), a philosophy that encompasses the holistic development of individuals, society, and the nation.
Shri Amit Shah highlighted Chitrakoot’s spiritual significance, recalling that it was where Lord Shri Ram spent a significant portion of his exile. He reiterated Chitrakoot’s deep connection to devotion and Indian cultural heritage.
