Kumbh showcases our unity in diversity: Modi
Modi also announced that a special website named constitution75.com has been created to connect the citizens of the country with the legacy of the Constitution
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday gave a clarion call for unity and brotherhood in the country in his final Mann ki Baat episode of the year, and urged people to “annihilate the feeling of division and hatred in the society” while he hailed the upcoming Kumbh Mela as a unique scene of unity in diversity.
Modi also announced that a special website named constitution75.com has been created to connect the citizens of the country with the legacy of the Constitution.
As the Prime Minister informed his audience of the preparations for the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj from January 13, he hailed the spiritual festival as a manifestation of India’s diversity where there is no discrimination against anyone and everyone is treated equally.
“The speciality of the Maha Kumbh is not only in its vastness. The speciality of the Kumbh is also in its diversity. Crores of people congregate for this event. Lakhs of saints, thousands of traditions, hundreds of sects, many akharas, everyone becomes a part of this event. There is no discrimination anywhere, no one is big, no one is small. Such a scene of unity in diversity will not be seen anywhere else in the world. Therefore, our Kumbh is also the Maha Kumbh of unity. This time’s Maha Kumbh will also bolster the mantra of Maha Kumbh of unity.”
“Let me tell all of you; when we participate in the Kumbh, let us bring along this resolve of unity with us. Let us also make a resolve to annihilate the feeling of division and hatred in society. If I have to say it in a few words, then I will say Mahakumbh Ka Sandesh, Ek Ho Poora Desh… The message of the Mahakumbh, let the whole country be united... and putting it in another way, I will express Ganga Ki Aviral Dhara, Na Bate Samaj Hamara... Like the uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, let our society be undivided. Friends, this time in Prayagraj, devotees from the country and the world will also be witness to the digital Maha Kumbh,” the PM added.
This is the second time in as many months that the PM has spoken about unity and peace in society. On November 11, speaking virtually at the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Vadtal, Gujarat, Modi urged for collective action to safeguard national integrity.
“Unity among citizens and integrity of the nation is important to make India a developed nation by 2047. Some forces are working to divide our society on the basis of caste, faith, language, social status, gender, and the rural-urban divide. We must recognise the gravity of these attempts by those who seek to harm our nation, understand the threat they pose, and work collectively to defeat such divisive acts,” Modi said.
The PM also informed that for the first time an AI chatbot will be used at the mega carnival of humanity.
“With the help of digital navigation, you will be able to reach different ghats, temples, and akharas of sadhus. The same navigation system will also help you reach parking spaces. For the first time, an AI chatbot will be used in the Kumbh event. All kinds of information related to the Kumbh will be available in 11 Indian languages through the AI chatbot. Anyone can ask for any kind of help through this chatbot, either by typing text or by speaking in. The entire fair area is being covered with AI-powered cameras,” the PM said.
If a person gets separated from one’s kith and kin during the Kumbh, these cameras will help find them and devotees will also get the facility of a digital lost and found centre, the PM added. He spoke of how devotees will also be provided information about government-approved tour packages, accommodation and homestays on their mobile phones and a facility to click selfies with #EktaKaMahakumbh.
As the government is making mega plans to celebrate 75 years of the installation of the Constitution — which has also been at the centre of major political battles in the recent past between the Congress and the BJP — the Prime Minister in his Mann ki Baat announced that a special website has been created to bring the common people closer to the spirit of the document.
“On January 26, 2025, our Constitution is completing 75 years. It is a matter of great honour for all of us. The Constitution, handed over to us by our Constitution makers, has stood the test of time in every sense of the term. The Constitution is our guiding light, our guide. It is on account of the Constitution of India that I am here today, being able to talk to you. This year, on Constitution Day, the 26th of November, many activities have commenced that will go on for a year. A special website named constitution75.com has also been created to connect the citizens of the country with the legacy of the Constitution,” the PM said.
“In this”, Modi added, “you can read the Preamble of the Constitution and upload your video. You can read the Constitution in myriad languages; you can also ask questions pertaining to the Constitution. I urge the listeners of Mann Ki Baat, school-going children, college-going youth, to visit this website and become a part of it.”
Modi also touted the ministry of information and broadcasting’s upcoming WAVES Summit in New Delhi that the ministry wants to turn into India’s flagship entertainment conference, akin to what the Cannes Film Festival is to France.
“A great opportunity is on the way to showcase India’s creative talent to the world. Next year, for the first time, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit, that is, WAVES Summit is going to be organised in our country. All of you must have heard about Davos, where the world’s economic giants gather. Similarly, in the WAVES Summit, giants from the media and entertainment industry and people from the creative world will come to India. This summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation. I feel proud informing you that the young creators of our country are also joining with full enthusiasm in the preparations for this summit. When we are moving towards a $5 trillion economy, our creator economy is bringing in a new energy.
“I would urge the entire entertainment and creative industry of India -- whether you are a young creator or an established artist, associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, a professional from the TV industry, an expert in animation, gaming or an innovator in entertainment technology -- to be a part of the WAVES Summit,” he said.
The WAVES Summit was earlier scheduled to be held in Goa alongside IFFI in November but was rescheduled to four months later.
Modi also told the country about the first Bastar Olympics that concluded earlier this month and saw the participation of 165,000 players from seven districts. “You will also be happy to know that this is taking place in the region which was once a witness to Maoist violence,” he said. The events included athletics, archery, badminton, football, hockey, weightlifting, karate, kabaddi, kho-kho, and volleyball.
“Bastar Olympics is not just a sports event. It is a platform where development and sports are merging together, where our youth are honing their talent and building a new India,” he said.
