In Diwali greetings, Modi calls Op Sindoor example of upholding righteousness

PRime government minister Narendra Modi, in his Diwali greetings to the carry nation, said functioning Sindoor exemplified righteousness and the struggle against unjustness. “Lord Ram teaches us to uphold righteousness and also gives us the courage to fight injustice, and a living example of this was seen a few months ago during Operation Sindoor,” he said. He referred to the action to eradicate Left Wing Terrorism as a “major achievement for the nation”.“During Operation Sindoor, Bharat not only upheld righteousness but also avenged injustice,” he said in a letter to the nation.Operation Sindoor was conducted by the Indian forces against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to the terror attack on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead.“This is the second Deepavali after the grand construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya,” Modi said, and noted how this year’s Diwali is particularly special in areas that were affected by Maoist violence. “...For the first time, lamps will be lit in many districts across the country, including remote areas. These are the districts... [where] Naxalism and Maoist terrorism have been eradicated from the root. In recent times, we have seen many individuals abandoning the path of violence and joining the mainstream of development, expressing faith in the Constitution of our country,” he said.On Monday, while addressing the armed forces on board INS Vikrant off the Goa coast, Modi said India is on the verge of eradicating Maoist terror, and over 100 districts that have been freed from the scourge will celebrate Diwali with dignity this year. He said the influence of Left-Wing Extremism has been reduced to just 11 districts from 125 districts a decade ago.In his letter, Modi referred to lower GST rates and said the country has also embarked on next-generation reforms that will help increase savings. “On the first day of Navratri, lower GST rates were implemented. During this ‘GST Bachat Utsav’ (Savings Festival), citizens are saving thousands of crores of rupees. In a world going through multiple crises, Bharat has emerged as a symbol of both stability and sensitivity. We are also on track to become the third-largest economy in the world in the near future,” he said.He reiterated the need to push for Indian made goods and said, in the journey of a “Viksit” (Developed) and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), the primary responsibility as citizens is to fulfil duties towards the nation.“Let us adopt ‘Swadeshi’ (local products) and proudly say: ‘This is Swadeshi!’ Let us promote the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. Let us respect all languages. Let us maintain cleanliness. Let us prioritise our health, let us reduce the use of oil in our food by 10% and embrace yoga,” he said.Modi said the festival of lights teaches lessons of cooperation and harmony. “Deepavali also teaches us that when one lamp lights another, its light doesn’t diminish, but it grows further. With the same spirit, let us light lamps of harmony, cooperation, and positivity in our society and surroundings.”