AHMEDABAD: The Narendra Modi govt has accomplished almost all the “ideological tasks” on its to-do list for the first decade in office, including removing the “hesitation” many Hindus had in wearing their civilisational identity with pride, home minister Amit Shah said on Thursday at an event in Ahmedabad.
He listed the nullification of Article 370 that accorded special status, construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, abolition of triple talaq and the move to bring a Uniform Civil Code as some of the prominent successes. “Modi govt will continue on the same path in its third term,” Shah said at the inauguration of a Hindu spiritual and services fair on the Gujarat University grounds.
“There was a time when in the lanes of Delhi, identifying as a Hindu or making a point about being Hindu would be awkward. People preferred to keep these thoughts to themselves. In the past 10 years, the situation has changed…We have done in 10 years what nobody dared to in seven decades since Independence.”
He mentioned the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj as a powerful symbol of unity and harmony, saying anyone could take a dip in the waters of Sangam and feel part of the spiritual experience dating back to ancient times without being discriminated against.
The home minister said Hindu temples and organisations served society in various ways, including educating tribals or providing healthcare to lakhs of citizens, but never publicised their work. Shah thanked the RSS for bringing all “service-oriented” Hindu organisations under one roof through the event.