Andaman/New Delhi, January 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that by embracing the spirit of Parakram Diwas, India is living Netaji’s dreams through self-reliance in the defense sector, so that his visionary approach can inspire today’s young generation.
Prime Minister Modi made this statement today via video conferencing at the “Parakram Diwas” program organized on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During this, he paid a heartfelt tribute to Netaji Subhash.
At this event organized on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that from the Netaji Museum in the Red Fort to his grand statue on the path of duty, the government is making efforts to connect the youth with Netaji’s vision. Respecting and drawing inspiration from his ideals infuses energy and confidence into our resolve for a developed India. The Subhash Chandra Bose Disaster Management Awards have also been instituted. All these not only symbolize respect for Netaji Subhas but also serve as an eternal source of inspiration for our youth and future generations.
Prime Minister Modi said that the resolve of 1.4 billion Indians to become self-reliant will realize the dream of a “developed India.” Previously, India was solely dependent on foreign arms imports, but today, India’s defense exports have exceeded 23,000 crore rupees. Indigenously developed BrahMos and other missiles are gaining global recognition. India is modernizing its armed forces with the power of self-reliance.
Referring to the series of events from January 23-30, the Prime Minister said that this confluence of Parakram Diwas, National Voters’ Day, Republic Day, Beating Retreat, and Bapu’s death anniversary is a new and glorious tradition of celebrating the Republic.
He targeted previous governments, saying that for a long time, due to political expediency, the credit for independence was given to only one family and historical sites like the Andaman were neglected. Netaji’s valor and courage inspire and fill all Indians with reverence.
The Prime Minister said that the land of Andaman symbolizes the belief that the idea of โโfreedom never dies. Many revolutionaries were tortured here and many warriors sacrificed their lives, but instead of being extinguished, the spark of the freedom struggle grew stronger.
Targeting opposition parties, he said that after independence, the glorious history of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands should have been preserved, but those in power at that time were insecure. They wanted to give the credit for independence to only one family, and due to this political expediency, the nation’s history was neglected.
Regarding the renaming of Port Blair to “Sri Vijayapuram,” Narendra Modi said that it is a name that reminds us of Netaji’s victory. Similarly, other islands were renamed Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, and Subhash Dweep. In 2023, 21 islands in the Andaman Islands were named after 21 Param Vir Chakra winners. Today, names associated with slavery are being erased in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and new names representing independent India are establishing their identity.
Among other dignitaries present at the event were Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Admiral DK Joshi (Retd.), Chairman of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose INA Trust, Brigadier (Retd.) R.S. Chikara, and Lieutenant R. Madhavan, a participant in India’s freedom movement and an enduring figure of the INA.