Agartala, Sep 25 — Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Friday that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's philosophy of 'Ekatma Manavtavad' and 'Antyodaya' remains highly relevant for the overall development of the country and society.
"One of the main thoughts of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was to bring smiles to the faces of the people at the bottom of society and include them in the mainstream of development. Keeping his ideals in mind, the state government is working to ensure the development of all," the Chief Minister added.
CM Saha made the remarks at a state-level programme organised at Muktadhara Auditorium in Agartala on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
The programme was organised by the Information and Cultural Affairs Department of the state government.
The Chief Minister also said that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was not merely a political figure, but also a great preserver and bearer of Indian culture, social system and philosophy.
"'Ekatma Manavtavad' formulated by him speaks of the balanced development of the body, mind, intellect and soul of a person," CM Saha added.
He emphasised the mutual and spiritual relationship between the individual, society, nature and the Supreme God.
The Chief Minister said that if any section of society remains weak or neglected, a country can never become strong.
"Just as an injury to one part of the body affects the whole body, similarly, the backwardness of any section of society affects the entire society. Therefore, balanced and integrated development of every section of society is necessary. This was one of the important aspects of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's philosophy," he added.
Referring to the concept of 'Antyodaya' propounded by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the Chief Minister said that its main objective is to ensure that the benefits of development reach the poor and backward people at the bottom of society.
"Keeping this concept in mind, the Central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is taking the country forward through 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas'. This philosophy is also reflected in various initiatives aimed at ensuring basic services such as food, healthcare, housing and drinking water for the common people," he added.
The Chief Minister said that it is important for the new generation to know about the life, values and thoughts of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
"This will help especially the young people draw inspiration from his life and ideals and engage themselves in building the country and society," he added.
Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumdar, MLA Meena Rani Sarkar, Subrata Chakraborty, Vice Chairman of the State-Level Cultural Advisory Committee Bimbisar Bhattacharya, Director of the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, and other public representatives and officials were present at the programme.