Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that “no power in the world” can subjugate India, stressing that the country’s resolve cannot be shaken when national interest remains paramount.
He was speaking at an event held in Gujarat to mark the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Somnath temple. Modi said that when the nation’s welfare is placed above all else, external pressure cannot alter India’s stand.
Referring to the period of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, Modi said India stayed firm despite global pressures, reiterating that national interest has always been the priority.
Calling the Somnath celebrations more than a festival, Modi said it should serve as inspiration for the next 1,000 years. He recalled that India gained independence in 1947 and that the temple’s consecration in 1951 proclaimed the spirit of freedom to the world, even as the shrine was repeatedly rebuilt after being destroyed.
Modi also said tradition and modernity are inseparable in India and move forward together. He noted that May 11 holds special significance as it was on this date in 1998 that India successfully conducted its first three nuclear tests.
