PM’s address at inauguration & foundation stone laying ceremony of various projects in Tarabh, Gujarat
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 22 Feb, 2024

Jai Valinath! Jai-Jai Valinath! Paramba Hinglaj Mataji ki- Jai! Hinglaj Mataji ki – Jai! Bhagwan Shri Dattatreya ki – Jai! Bhagwan Shri Dattatreya ki – Jai! How are you all? I saw the old ascetics of this village and also met old companions too. Valinath has created a festive spirit. I have come to Valinath many times before, but today’s splendour is something else. No matter how much one gets welcome and honour in the world, but when one is at home, its joy is something else altogether. I saw something special among the villagers today, and when I came to my uncle’s house, its joy was also unique. Based on the atmosphere that I have seen, I greet all the devotees soaked in devotion and faith. Look how coincidental it is! Just a month ago, on January 22nd, I was at the feet of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. There I had the privilege of participating in the historic event of the consecration of Lord Ram Lalla. Then in Abu Dhabi, I got the opportunity to attend the inauguration of the first Hindu temple in the Gulf countries on February 14th, on Basant Panchami. And just two-three days ago, I got the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of Kalki Dham in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. And today, I have the privilege of participating in the worship ceremony after the consecration in this magnificent and divine temple in Tarabh. Friends, For the country and the world, Valinath Shiv Dham is a pilgrimage site. But for the Rabari community, it is a ‘Gurugadi’ (seat of the Guru). Today, I see devotees from the Rabari community from all over the country and people from different states are also visible to me. I congratulate all of you. Friends, This is a wonderful period in Bharat’s development journey. It’s a time when both ‘Dev Kaaj’ (divine works) and ‘Desh Kaaj’ (national tasks) are progressing rapidly. ‘Dev Seva’ (service to the gods) is happening and ‘Desh Seva’ (service to the nation) is also happening. While on one hand, these sacred tasks have been accomplished today, on the other hand, the foundation laying and inauguration of development projects worth 13,000 crore rupees have also taken place. These projects are associated with many important development works such as railways, roads, port transport, water, national security, urban development, tourism, and more. These projects will make people’s lives easier and create new opportunities for employment and self-employment for the youth of this region. My family members, Today, I feel a divine energy on this sacred land. This energy connects us with the spiritual consciousness that has been flowing for thousands of years, which is related to both Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. This energy also connects us with the journey that was initiated by the first Gadipati Mahant Veeram-Giri Bapu ji. I respectfully greet Gadipati Pujya Jayram Giri Bapu as well. You took forward the resolution of Gadipati Mahant Baldev Giri Bapu and brought it to fruition. Many of you know that I had a deep relationship with Baldev Giri Bapu for almost 3-4 decades. When I was the Chief Minister, I had the opportunity to welcome him to my residence many times. For nearly 100 years, he kept awakening the spiritual consciousness among us, and even when he left us in 2021, I expressed my feelings over the phone. But today, when I see his dream coming true, my soul says — wherever he is today, he must be pleased and blessing us seeing this accomplishment. This hundreds of years old temple is now built with the grandeur of the 21st century and ancient divinity. This temple is also the result of the tireless efforts of hundreds of artisans and labourers over the years. It is because of this hard work that today Valinath Mahadev, Paramba Shri Hinglaj Mataji, and Lord Dattatreya are present in this magnificent temple. I also salute all my fellow workers who were involved in the construction of the temple. Brothers and sisters, Our temples are not just places of worship, nor are they merely places for rituals. Rather, they are symbols of our ancient culture and tradition that spans thousands of years. In our country, temples serve as centres of knowledge and science, leading the nation and society from ignorance towards knowledge. Shiv Dham Shree Valinath Akhada has faithfully advanced this sacred tradition of education and social reform. I remember distinctly that whenever I spoke with Pujya Baldev Giri Maharaj ji, he was more concerned with the education of the society’s children than spiritual or temple matters. Awareness has increased among people with the organization of book fairs. The construction of schools and hostels has improved the level of education. Today, hundreds of students preparing for competitive exams are provided with accommodation and library facilities. What better example can there be than the combination of divine service and national service? The Rabari community deserves praise for furthering such a tradition. Unfortunately, the Rabari community receives very little praise. Brothers and sisters, Today, the country is moving forward with the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. The spirit of this mantra and how it is ingrained in our country is also evident to us in Valinath Dham. This is a place where God made a Rabari shepherd brother an instrument for His manifestation. Here, the responsibility of worship belongs to the Rabari community, but it is open to the entire society. Aligned with the same sentiment of the saints, our government is committed to making every aspect of life better for every section and class of society. The objective of Modi’s guarantee is to change the lives of the citizens standing at the bottom rung of society. Therefore, while temples are being constructed in the country, millions of pucca houses are also being built for the poor. Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of over 1.25 lakh homes for the poor in Gujarat. Imagine the blessings of these poor families! Today, 80 crore people in the country are receiving free rations so that even the hearth of the poor household keeps burning. This, in a way, is a ‘prasad’ (gift) from God. Today, 10 crore new families in the country have begun to receive water through taps. This is no less than ‘amrit’ (nectar) for those poor families who used to have to go far and wide for water arrangements. The people from our North Gujarat know how much difficulties they had to endure for water. They had to carry pitchers on their heads for two to three kilometers. And I remember when I launched the Sujalam-Sufalam scheme, even the Congress MLAs of North Gujarat used to tell me, “Sir, nobody can do the kind of work you’ve done. This is something people will not forget for 100 years.” Their witnesses are also sitting here. Friends, In the past two decades, along with ‘Vikas’ (development), we have also worked on enhancing the grandeur of ‘Virasat’ (heritage) sites in Gujarat. Unfortunately, in independent Bharat, a rift was created between development and heritage for a long time. If there is anyone to blame for this, it is the Congress, which ruled the country for decades. These are the same people who made sacred places like Somnath controversial. These are the same people who did not even show the desire to hoist the religious flag in Pavagadh. These are the same people who, for decades, viewed the Sun Temple in Modhera through the lens of vote bank politics. These are the same people who raised questions about the existence of Lord Ram and obstructed the construction of his temple. And today, when the construction of a magnificent temple has been completed on the birthplace of Lord Ram, and the entire country is rejoicing, those who thrive on negativity are still not letting go of the path of hatred. Brothers and sisters, Preserving heritage is crucial for any nation to progress. In Gujarat as well, there are numerous symbols of Bharat’s ancient civilization. These symbols are not only important for understanding history but also essential for connecting future generations to their roots. Therefore, our government is continuously striving to preserve these symbols and develop them as global heritage sites. Now, take a look at how new aspects of history are emerging through excavations in Vadnagar. Just last month, traces of a 2800-year-old settlement were discovered in Vadnagar, where people lived 2800 years ago. Similarly, in Dholavira, we witness the divine sights of ancient Bharat. These are the pride of Bharat. We take pride in our rich heritage. Friends, Today, every effort being made in the new Bharat is aimed at creating a legacy for future generations. The new and modern roads being built, the railway tracks being laid, these are the pathways of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed Bharat). Today, the connectivity of Mehsana’s railway has been strengthened. With the doubling of railway lines, the connectivity from Banaskantha and Patan to Kandla, Tuna, and Mundra ports has improved. This has made it possible to operate new trains and also provided facilities for freight trains. Today, the runway of the Deesa Air Force Station has also been inaugurated. And this air force station will not only have runways but will also become a significant centre for Bharat’s security in the future. I remember, while being the Chief Minister, I wrote numerous letters to the Indian government for this project and made several efforts. But the Congress government left no stone unturned to stop this work, to halt this construction. The officials of the Air Force used to say that this location is very important for Bharat’s security, but nothing was done. From 2004 to 2014, the Congress government kept sitting on its files. I laid the foundation stone for this runway one and a half years ago. Modi fulfils the promises he makes; the inauguration of the runway in Deesa today is an example of that. And this is what Modi’s guarantee is all about. Friends, There was also a time when opportunities were very limited in North Gujarat 20-25 years ago. Back then, there was no water in the fields for farmers, and cattle breeders had many challenges. The scope of industrialization was also very limited. But the situation is continuously changing today in the BJP government. Farmers here have started cultivating 2-3 crops per year. The groundwater level of the entire area has also risen. Today, the inauguration and foundation laying ceremony of 8 projects related to water supply and water sources have taken place. More than Rs 1500 crores will be spent on these projects. This will help in solving the water problems of North Gujarat. The way farmers of North Gujarat have adopted modern technologies like drip irrigation is amazing. Now, I see here that the trend of chemical-free, organic farming is also increasing. Your efforts will increase the enthusiasm of farmers towards natural farming across the country. Brothers and sisters, Together, we will continue development while preserving our heritage. In the end, I once again express my gratitude to all of you for making me a partner in this divine experience. Thank you all very much! Say with me — Bharat Mata ki- Jai! Bharat Mata ki- Jai! Bharat Mata ki- Jai! Thanks!