By Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India wants to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours but not at the cost of the country’s national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. He was inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala near here on Friday. The minister’s remarks assume significance in the wake of India’s recent border skirmishes with China in the country’s northeast.
“We can change our friends, but not our neighbours,” Rajnath reminded, quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to stress the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries. “However, there will be no compromise on our national security,” he said.
Rajnath said India’s soldiers were fiercely guarding the country’s borders by following the ideals of spiritual leaders like Sree Narayana Guru. Rajnath said that while he, as defence minister, was defending the country’s ‘body’, spiritual leaders, including those in Sivagiri Mutt, were defending the country’s ‘soul’.
“A country can survive only if its body and soul are safe,” he said. Rajnath also assured that works relating to the union government’s Rs 70-crore worth projects for the development of Sivagiri will be expedited. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings based on Vedas and Upanishads disprove the propaganda of people with narrow interests that his ideals were not connected with ‘sanathana dharma’ (Hinduism).
He also blamed the state government for violence, evil practices and increasing consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances in the state which is known as the land of Sree Narayana Guru. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Swami Satchidananda presided over the function. The pilgrimage to Sivagiri, the final resting place of Sree Narayana Guru, is held every year for three days from December 30 to January 1.
Rajnath: PM instructed not to cancel any official programmeT’Puram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed his cabinet colleagues not to cancel any pre-scheduled official programmes on account of the demise of his mother Heeraben Modi on Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. After inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram, Rajnath condoled the death of Modi’s mother and said he had initially thought of skipping the programme and rushing to Delhi after hearing the news of her demise. “The PM said no one should cancel their pre-scheduled programmes and to return only after attending them,” Rajnath said. After Rajnath’s address, the meeting observed a minute’s silence and prayed for the departed soul.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India wants to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours but not at the cost of the country’s national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. He was inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala near here on Friday. The minister’s remarks assume significance in the wake of India’s recent border skirmishes with China in the country’s northeast.
“We can change our friends, but not our neighbours,” Rajnath reminded, quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to stress the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries. “However, there will be no compromise on our national security,” he said.
Rajnath said India’s soldiers were fiercely guarding the country’s borders by following the ideals of spiritual leaders like Sree Narayana Guru. Rajnath said that while he, as defence minister, was defending the country’s ‘body’, spiritual leaders, including those in Sivagiri Mutt, were defending the country’s ‘soul’.
“A country can survive only if its body and soul are safe,” he said. Rajnath also assured that works relating to the union government’s Rs 70-crore worth projects for the development of Sivagiri will be expedited.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings based on Vedas and Upanishads disprove the propaganda of people with narrow interests that his ideals were not connected with ‘sanathana dharma’ (Hinduism).
He also blamed the state government for violence, evil practices and increasing consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances in the state which is known as the land of Sree Narayana Guru. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Swami Satchidananda presided over the function. The pilgrimage to Sivagiri, the final resting place of Sree Narayana Guru, is held every year for three days from December 30 to January 1.
Rajnath: PM instructed not to cancel any official programme
T’Puram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed his cabinet colleagues not to cancel any pre-scheduled official programmes on account of the demise of his mother Heeraben Modi on Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. After inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram, Rajnath condoled the death of Modi’s mother and said he had initially thought of skipping the programme and rushing to Delhi after hearing the news of her demise. “The PM said no one should cancel their pre-scheduled programmes and to return only after attending them,” Rajnath said. After Rajnath’s address, the meeting observed a minute’s silence and prayed for the departed soul.
