Addressing the nation on his monthly radio broadcast, Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi wished the country on the occasion of the upcoming festival of Eid.
He also paid respects to the first PM of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversay.
The PM then went on to pay respect to freedom fighter, Veer Sawarkar who had ‘dared’ to rename the revolt of 1857 as the First War of Independence.
He went on to say that the “storms in the country in the past few weeks were unseasonal. There was loss of life and property, it was result of change in weather pattern.”
He named the theme for this year as, ‘beating plastic pollution’. He vouched that India will do everything possible for a cleaner and greener tomorrow.
He added that India will host the World Environment Day this year. “It also shows India’s growing leadership in fight against climate change”, the PM said.
Urging the youth to play ‘Indian traditional games” to enhance logical thinking and urged them to archive these games for the future.
He said that he has been challenged by the Indian cricket skipper, Virat Kohli to a fitness challenge and he accepts it. He was happy to share that Fit India was getting a great response.
He congratulated the mountaineers who recently scaled Mt Everest. He especially mentioned the five tribal students from Chandrapur, Maharashtra, Ajeet and Deeya Bajaj, Sangeeta Bahl and a BSF contingent for scaling the Everest. BSF contingent also cleaned up the area on his way back.
“In the recent weeks, several people scaled Everest and made us proud”, he said.
He took the opportunity to once again laud the Indian Navy’s all-women crew who circumnavigated the globe on INSV Tarini in 8 months. He congratulated the women for showing the that India is second to none.