Kumbh projected India’s soft power to the world : Naidu

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Calling the Kumbh Mela the biggest cultural event in the world, the Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on February 16, 2019, said that it was the largest gathering of Dharmik and Spiritual people. It is one of the greatest wonders of the World, he added. Naidu has said that the Kumbh has projected the magnificent “Soft Power” of India to the world.

Naidu was on a day-long visit to Prayagraj, where he felicitated the volunteers at the Yuva Kumbh Sammelan. He also addressed the Yuva Kumbh Mela where representatives from Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Netherlands, Brazil etc were in attendance.

Addressing the Kiva Kumbh Sammelan, Naidu stressed on the need to educate and inform people about the importance of cleanliness and sanitation especially during events such as the Kumbh where more than 19 crore people offered prayers to the river Ganga. Asserting that peoples’ participation was crucial in achieving the objectives of programmes such as Namami Gange and Swachh Bharat, he called upon the volunteers to educate the devotees on the importance of keeping rivers clean and of avoiding the use of plastics. For this, he wanted them to become Swachhta guards.

Naidu said that humans have tinkered with nature through the relentless pursuit of industrial growth unmindful of environmental consequences. He added that for development to be sustainable, it has to be compatible with nature. The Vice President lamented that the pollution of the air, water and food resources and degradation of forest resources have created a situation where human and animal life was becoming increasingly unsustainable.

There is a cultural dimension as well, he said. “In my view, cultural ethos that promotes peace, harmony, tolerance and inclusive growth tends to be the best foundation for sustainable future,” Naidu added.

Earlier in the morning, the Vice President visited the holy Sangam at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and offered prayers on the occasion of Kumbh. He was accompanied by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh Ram Naik, Health Minster of Uttar Pradesh,  Sidharth Nath Singh and others. The Vice President appreciated the state administration for taking up massive urban renewable mission and for providing facilities to crores of devotees visiting Kumbh.

Paying homage to the CRPF martyrs who lost their lives in the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama, the Vice President  said that the neighbour has committed a heinous crime and expressed confidence that the Indian Army would give a befitting reply at the time and place of its choice, according to a PIB release. On the two occasions, the Vice President and the gathering had observed silence in the memory of the martyrs.