Narendra Modi pays tribute to Guru Gobind Singh in Mann Ki Baat address; hails success of 'vocal for local' campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Tegh Bahadur in his last ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address for the year. His address comes as the farmers' protests against the Centre’s new farm laws completed one month on Saturday. In his address, Modi said that the “sacrifices” of Guru Gobind Singh and his family “helped keep our culture safe”. “We pay tributes to the brave c_haar Sahibzaade_, we remember Mata Gujri, we recall the greatness of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. We remain indebted to these greats for their sacrifices and their spirit of compassion,” he said. “This martyrdom did a great work of protecting our civilization. We are indebted to this martyrdom,” Modi added. However, farmers camping at Delhi’s Singhu border raised slogans against the Centre and clanged thalis as Modi’s radio programme was broadcast on Sunday morning, NDTV reported. The ‘thali bajao’ protest during the Mann Ki Baat broadcast was decided last Sunday, by Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, the report noted. He had said, “On 27 December when the Prime Minister gives his Mann Ki Baat radio address, farmers will say ‘we are tired of listening to your Mann ki Baat, when will you listen to our Mann ki Baat?’ So we will bang utensils so that the noise of his Mann ki Baat doesn’t reach us.” On Sunday, Modi also spoke about his government’s ‘vocal for local’ campaign and said that it has received widespread support from people. He said that manufacturers and industry leaders must ensure that good quality products are made in India. “I call upon our manufacturers and industry leaders that when people have taken determined step forward & when the mantra of ‘Vocal for Local’ is resonating in every house, it is time to ensure that our products are world-class,” he said. The outgoing year saw the spirit of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ echo in society, he added. “Due to COVID-19, the supply chains got disrupted the world over but we learnt new lessons from each crisis. The nation also developed new capabilities. We can call this capability ‘Aatmanirbharata’ or self-reliance,” Modi said. Additionally, he urged people to not litter. “We should take a vow that we will not litter, this is first resolve of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. I want to remind you of one more thing which couldn’t be discussed that much because of coronavirus. We have to definitely rid the nation of single-use plastic,” he said. Modi also asked people to use Kashmiri saffron and said that his government is working to make it a “globally popular brand”. The GI tag has given it a unique identity, he said. On Friday, Modi had invited suggestions for topics to discuss during his address. With inputs from PTI