DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed students across the nation from Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on Monday 11 September 2017 on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Centenary and 125 th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Address at the Chicago World Parliament of Religions. The theme of the programme was Young India, New India- A Resurgent Nation: from Sankalp to Siddhi.
The live webcast was arranged for the students and staff in the Audio-Visual Room of Ghotage Building. Maximum number of students witnessed the programme.
Speaking about Swami Vivekanada’s addressing at Parliament on Religion in Chicago on 11 September, 1893, PM Modi said people in India remember 9/11 of 1893. “Today is 9/11…this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember. Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the
world and showed the world the power of oneness. Swami Vivekananda gave the concept of ‘One Asia’. He said that the solutions to world’s problems will come from Asia,” the Prime Minister said. In his address to students from across the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said those who clean the roads have the first right to chant Vande Mataram.
“As I entered, I heard people chanting loudly ‘Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram!’…
The value of patriotism fills my heart. But do we have the right to say Vande Mataram?” PM Modi said.
He said that those who chant Vande Mataram go and litter the roads. “Whether we clean the roads or not, we do not have the right to litter our motherland,” he added. He appealed to the youth of the nation to build toilets first before building temples. “Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity…‘Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva’,” he said. He said the youth of the country should be job-creators and not job-seekers. PM Modi
also urged students to focus on cleanliness while campaigning for university elections.
The address was well received by the young students and was motivated to pledge for a clean and corrupt-free India.