The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the Remembrance Day ceremony on 15^th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna, Nanaji Deshmukh in Chitrakoot Madhya Pradesh today. On this occasion, several dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Rajendra Shukla, were present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that on the occasion of Nanaji Deshmukh's death anniversary, a tribute program was organized along with the inauguration of the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and the presentation based on the life of Lord Ram, "Ram Darshan." He said that Nanaji Deshmukh is among those individuals whose life leaves an impact not for just a few years, but for centuries, and such people work towards making the era transformative.

Shri Shah said that Nanaji, who was born in Maharashtra, was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from his childhood. He became a pracharak of the RSS, made Uttar Pradesh his area of work, became the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and, along with Pandit Deendayal, traveled to every block and region in Uttar Pradesh to lay the foundation of the Jana Sangh. Nanaji got the privilege of being a centenarian by dedicating every moment of his life and every particle of his body to Mother India. He said that it is very difficult to go from the world as Ajatashatru while being in politics, but till today neither the ruling party nor any leader of the opposition heard anything wrong about Nanaji.

The Union Home Minister said that it is very difficult to gain universal acceptance while being in politics, as one often has to face opposition for political purposes. However, in his long life, no one had the courage to oppose Nanaji, nor did anyone consider it appropriate to oppose him. He said that Nanaji made connections in almost every field, including art, literature, industry, service, and politics, and earned acceptance and respect in each of those fields. Achieving so much in one lifetime is quite difficult. He said that through rural development, Nanaji Deshmukh implemented Pandit Deendayal’s principle of ‘Antyodaya’ on the ground.

Shri Amit Shah said that when Nanaji was just 60 years old, he decided to leave politics and pursue Ekatm Manavvaad ('Integral Humanism') for the rest of his life. He was also like a lotus in politics, kept himself aloof from every evil and spent his entire life removing evils. Nanaji, through his hard work, has established principles in politics that will remain role models for generations to come. He said Nanaji's efforts were instrumental in changing the socio-economic landscape of the country's villages.

The Union Home Minister said that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh gave two great men to the country's politics in the same period in the form of Nanaji Deshmukh and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Both were born in 1916. He said that after the country's independence, when policies were being made, people were watching the country's policies with concern. In policies related to foreign affairs, economy, agriculture, and education, there was no fragrance of our ancient nation’s soil. At that time, the government was satisfied with creating policies by merely translating principles borrowed from the West. During that time, Pandit Deendayal established the principle of 'Integral Humanism,' showing how our economic philosophy should be, what our foreign policy should look like, and how our perspective on the world should be based on global brotherhood. He said that this very principle is now leading us toward becoming the best in the world.

Shri Amit Shah said that Pandit Deendayal named India’s development model as ‘Antyodaya,’ meaning that until the last person in the line is developed, it holds no meaning. He said that the development of the last person should be a reflection of the nation’s development. He said that Prime Minister Modi, who considers the "Antyodaya politics" of Nanaji and Pandit Deendayal as an ideal, is today bringing about a change in the lives of millions of poor people. Shri Shah further said that development should take place while preserving our heritage.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the government has significantly improved the lives of 60 crore poor citizens over the past decade. He highlighted key welfare initiatives, including housing, sanitation, clean drinking water, gas connections, free grain distribution, electricity access, and health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh. He emphasized that these efforts align with Nanaji Deshmukh’s vision for rural development, working towards transforming villages into self-sustaining Gokul Grams.

Reflecting on Nanaji Deshmukh’s contributions, Shri Amit Shah described him as an exceptional organizer who played a crucial role in resisting the Emergency, when democracy and personal freedoms were under threat. He noted that despite a scattered opposition, public awareness was awakened, leading to a 19-month-long struggle that resulted in the defeat of the ruling government and the triumph of democracy. Nanaji was instrumental in the formation of the Janata Party and laid the foundation of the current ruling party by championing the principle of Nation First.

Shri Amit Shah further stated that Nanaji’s life was deeply rooted in the ideals of the Sangh. He said that the unique combination of Sangh's sanskars, Bal Gangadhar's nationalism and Gandhiji's Gram Swaraj is seen in Nanaji Deshmukh's personality.

Recognizing his lifelong service, he was awarded with the Padma Vibhushan. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi later honored him with the Bharat Ratna, acknowledging his transformative contributions to society. Shri Shah remarked that Nanaji was among those rare individuals whose legacy elevates the honors bestowed upon them.

He also highlighted Nanaji’s role in education, particularly in establishing the first Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gorakhpur, today thousand of these schools across the country are imparting education and values to children. Nanaji remained committed to cultural nationalism throughout his life.

Speaking about Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shri Amit Shah noted his pivotal role in foundation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He credited Pandit Deendayal with shaping the ideological foundation of the party and developing Ekatm Manavvaad (Integral Humanism), a philosophy that encompasses the holistic development of individuals, society, and the nation.

Shri Amit Shah highlighted Chitrakoot’s spiritual significance, recalling that it was where Lord Shri Ram spent a significant portion of his exile. He reiterated Chitrakoot’s deep connection to devotion and Indian cultural heritage.

*****

RK/VV/ASH/PR/PS