'Holier than thou' attitude not good for resolving conflicts, says Modi in Ujjain

Addressing the crowd at the gathering of Kumbh Mela in Ujjain on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the one crore Indians who gave up their LPG subsidies and urged the citizens to leave behind their “holier than thou” attitude to prevent conflicts. Applauding the citizens who gave up their LPG subsidies, he said. “There was Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, who urged the nation to skip an evening meal and so many people followed it exactly. Some are still alive from that era. For eight months, I kept a subject in front of the public. Sometimes I think we stay behind in reaching places. I told them if you are self satisfied, leave the comfort in the kitchen. Now I want to bow my head and say more than 1 crore people have left behind their gas subsidy.” He asserted that the #GiveItUp campaign was not for filling government’s treasury but to benefit the poor. “In a day, an equivalent of 400 cigarettes’ smoke is inhaled by a poor man who cooks using chullah. Now in three years, crores of the poor will get LPG connection and get relief from chullah smoke,” he said. Recalling a proverb from his native place, Modi said, “Karani karein to narayan hojaye (If you do your job, you can do wonders). This is what our sages and saints have said. We should too believe in it,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_2781520” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PM Modi in Ujjain. PTI[/caption] Speaking on issues of conflict in the country, he said, “There are differences in our nation which outsiders see as conflict. The world conducts seminars on conflict management. We inherit conflict management because of our upbringing.” “We worship Sita who sacrificed her happiness for her husband and Mira who disobeyed her husband. We have learnt conflict management through our mythologies,” he added. He spoke about the role of values in India and compared the situation with other nations. “When other countries go for election, the politicians campaign saying they will preserve family values. The whole world is laying emphasis and understanding now the importance of family values. But we have been born into it,” Modi said. He emphasised how values cannot be blamed for stopping progress. He said, “Whether it is inferiority or illiteracy, we say this is our tradition and run away from problems. The world is not acceptable to these excuses anymore.” “There was a time when crossing the sea was considered unholy. But the times have changed. Values shouldn’t stop us from achieving. It is our duty to not let conflict of blaming values come in between of our progress,” he added. Noting that global warming and terrorism have become global problems, he asked the crowd what for a solution. “A holier than thou attitude is taking towards conflicts. Let us look within and see how we can grow ourselves,” Modi urged. “Mera rasta tere raste se zyada sahi hai (My way is better than yours). This is what is directing us to conflict. But the times have changed now. We can’t keep going horizontal; we need to go vertical to travel new heights,” he said. Modi was present in Ujjain along with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to release ‘Simhastha Declaration’ at Ninora village.