PM Narendra Modi (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged young citizens to register as voters upon turning 18, calling it a vital step towards strengthening India’s democracy and fulfilling their constitutional responsibility.Speaking during the 130th episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi highlighted the significance of the upcoming Republic Day and the constitutional values it represents.“Tomorrow, on January 26, we will celebrate our Republic Day. On this day, our Constitution came into force. This day gives us an opportunity to pay homage to the architects of the Constitution,” the Prime Minister said.He also drew attention to the importance of January 25, which is observed as National Voters’ Day, describing it as a key occasion in the democratic calendar.“Today is the National Voters’ Day. The voter is the soul of democracy. Generally, when someone turns 18, they become a voter; it is considered an ordinary stage in a person’s life. However, this occasion is a very big milestone in an Indian’s life. Hence, it is very important that we celebrate becoming a voter in the country,” Modi said.The Prime Minister reiterated that encouraging youth participation in the electoral process is essential to sustaining and deepening democratic values in the country.Quotes from PM during Mann Ki Baat
- “India one of the fastest growing economies, now time to prioritise quality.”
- “Indian products should be synonymous with top quality; let us make excellence our benchmark”.
- “The sense of duty that the Constitution expects from every citizen will be fulfilled and also strengthen Bharat’s democracy”, the PM said.
- India has now become the world’s third largest start-up ecosystem. The journey of StartUp India… the heroes of this remarkable journey are our young colleagues. By stepping out of their comfort zones, the innovations they have brought about are being etched into history. AI, Space, Nuclear Energy, Semiconductors, Mobility, Green Hydrogen, Biotechnology—name any field, and you’ll find an Indian start-up making its mark in it.
- “Bhajan clubbing; this is rapidly gaining popularity, especially among Gen Z. It’s heartening to see that the dignity and purity of bhajans are fully upheld in these events. Devotion is not taken lightly. Neither the propriety of words nor the sanctity of emotions is compromised.”
- “Our Indian community in Malaysia is doing commendable work…There are more than 500 Tamil schools in Malaysia. Along with the teaching of the Tamil language in these schools, other subjects are also taught in Tamil. In addition, there is a great deal of focus here on other Indian languages, including Telugu and Punjabi.”
- “The tradition of Chandanki village in Becharaji, Gujarat, is unique in its own right. If I were to tell you that the people here, especially the elderly, do not cook food in their homes, you would be astonished. The reason for this is the village’s splendid community kitchen. In this community kitchen, food for the entire village is prepared together at once, and people sit together to eat. This tradition has been continuing uninterrupted for the past 15 years.
- “I’ve come across information about Sheikh Gund village in Anantnag. Challenges related to drugs, tobacco, cigarettes, and alcohol had escalated quite significantly there. Seeing all this, the local Mir Jafar Ji became so distressed that he resolved to address this problem. He united everyone in the village, from the youth to the elderly. The impact of his initiative was such that the shops there stopped selling tobacco products altogether. This effort has also raised awareness among people about the dangers of drugs.”
- “I’ve come across information about a similarly unique initiative in Arunachal Pradesh. In Itanagar, a group of young people came together to clean up those areas that needed special attention. These young people made it their mission to clean public spaces in various cities. In Nagaon, Assam, people are emotionally attached to the old lanes there; some individuals there resolved to clean their lanes together. Gradually, more people joined them. In this way, a team was formed that removed a great deal of rubbish from the lanes.”
- “In Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district, Jagdish Prasad Ahirwar ji… his efforts are also highly commendable. He serves as a beat guard in the forest. During one patrol, he realised that information about many medicinal plants present in the forest was not documented anywhere in an organised manner. Jagdish ji wanted to pass this knowledge on to the next generation, so he began identifying medicinal plants and creating records of them. He identified over one hundred and twenty-five medicinal plants. He gathered details for each plant, including photographs, names, uses, and locations where they are found.”
