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The world is witnessing a strong India, right from LAC (Line of Actual Control) to LoC (Line of Control), just as Netaji Subhash Bose had envisioned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, on Saturday.
The LAC separates India and China; whereas the LoC divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji, the Prime Minister said India was following the “footsteps of Netaji” and giving a “befitting reply” to anyone who challenged its sovereignty.
“From LOC to LAC, the world is witnessing the avatar of a strong India, just as Netaji had envisioned. We are following his footsteps. Today India gives a befitting reply to anyone who tries to hurt its sovereignty,” he said during the ‘Parakram Diwas’ event.
A stronger Army with modernised fighting equipment is what Bose would have dreamt of. And it is happening now. India was well on its way to achieving self reliance in defence manufacturing with the procurement of the light combat aircraft, Tejas, from HAL.
“We have modern aircraft like Rafale and are making specialised ones like Tejas on our own. This would have made Netaji proud,” Modi said.
Self-reliance and faith
Pointing out that self-reliance and faith in “independent India” formed some of the cornerstones of Subhash Bose’s ideology, the Prime Minister referred to India’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and how the latter would have been proud of it.
“We have access to latest scientific knowledge. We are not only making Covid vaccines for ourselves, but are also exporting it to the world. We are helping other countries too,” he added.
Referring to West Bengal, the Prime Minister said the State needs to show the way in helping the country achieve self-reliance. An ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ has to be led by Atma Nirbhar Bengal and Sonar Bangla (Prosperous Bengal).
“Netaji is the biggest inspiration of Sonar Bangla,” Modi said.
Incidentally, Sonar Bangla is the current go to slogan of the Bengal unit of the BJP that is trying to unseat Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Mamata loses her cool
After sharing the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost her cool and refused to deliver a speech at Victoria Memorial after people present there chanted ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans.
Banerjee did not walk out of the venue but made her displeasure clear and pointed out that she was “insulted”. She refused to deliver a speech and countered the chants with a ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan.
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