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Union Home Minister addresses on the Punyatithi of Nanaji Deshmukh in Chitrakoot, MP
The union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed the Remembrance Day ceremony on 15th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna, Nanaji Deshmukh in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh on 27 February 2025. On this occasion, several dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Rajendra Shukla and other senior leaders 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.”
No one had the courage to oppose Nanaji
The Union Home Minister said 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 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 through rural development, Nanaji Deshmukh implemented Pandit Deendayal’s principle of ‘Antyodaya’ on the ground.
Role model for generations to come
Shri Amit Shah said 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 model 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.
‘Integral Humanism’
He said that after the country’s independence, 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.
PM Modi considers ‘Antyodaya’ as an ideal
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 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 said 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.
Nanaji- An exceptional organizer
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 said 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.
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.