Nation first, no individual or relationship bigger than the country: PM Modi

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, November 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reiterated his anti-dynasty political pitch saying no individual or relationship was bigger than the nation.

Hailing the courage of Assam's Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, whose year-long 400th birth anniversary celebration concluded on Friday, the prime minister cited the life of the legendary strategist who killed his own uncle for failing to fulfil duties towards the motherland at the time of Aurangzeb's invasion of Assam in 1671.

"Lachit Barphukan's life inspires us to brave several modern day challenges confronting the country. His life tells us that we should give top priority to national interests and not individual interests. His life tells us that nation should be first, not dynasties and nepotism...no individual or relationship is bigger than the country," the PM said at an event organised by the Assam government at Vigyan Bhavan here.

Recalling how Barphukan had punished his own uncle who did not accomplish the task assigned at the time of the Ahom-Mughal war in which Ahoms emerged victorious, the PM said, "Imagine the level to which Ahom army would have been inspired to learn that Barphukan had punished his own family member for failing to discharge the duty towards the land."

Lauding the exploits of Lachit Barphukan, the PM said the history of countless freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country had been "deliberately suppressed after Independence".

"After Independence, we should have changed the agenda of the British who enslaved us but that was not done. The history of freedom fighters across India who sacrificed lives to liberate the country was deliberately suppressed. Does the sacrifice of Lachit Barphukan mean nothing? The country is now correcting the historical wrongs committed by not giving due space in the national mainstream to our glorious freedom fighters," noted the PM hailing Barphukan as Mughal Vijay Veer.

He said for centuries Indians have been told that they were meant to be plundered and enslaved even though India's history is one of victory and wars, of sacrifice and resilience, and of bravery through centuries.

"Let us not measure ourselves by past few decades or years. We have a continuous tradition of bravery," said the PM, urging citizens to keep the country first.

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