NEW DELHI: Asserting every nation connects their heritage with identity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday targeted previous Congress governments stating that India didn’t celebrate its cultural legacy after independence because of the colonial mindset hence the country moved in the opposite direction.“Language, literature, art, spirituality—these treasures of a nation define its existence. That’s why, if any country in the world discovers something hundred years old, it proudly presents it to the world. Every nation connects its heritage with its identity. Unfortunately, Bharat had lagged far behind. Before independence, invaders aimed to erase Bharat’s identity, and after independence, those with a colonial mindset took over. An ecosystem had taken hold in Bharat that worked to push us in the opposite direction,” said Modi, in a veiled attack on the grand old party.The Prime Minister further said that, however, the nation had recuperated from the inferior complex and been taking big decisions including bestowing classical language status to Pali.“Symbols of Buddha adopted as the symbols of Bharat at the time of independence, were gradually forgotten in the decades that followed. It took seven decades for the Pali language to get its rightful place. The nation is now free from that inferiority complex and is moving forward with self-respect, self-confidence, and self-pride. As a result, the country is making big decisions. That’s why today, while Pali is being recognized as a classical language, Marathi is also being given the same respect,” Modi said.He further emphasised India’s commitment to promoting Buddha’s teachings not just for the nation’s benefit but for the service of humanity. Speaking about the teaching of Buddhism, Modi said that the world is once again surrounded by many uncertainties and instabilities and in such times, Buddha is not only relevant but has become essential.
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