'Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar's birth anniversary not historical event, but philosophy of life for all': Dhankar

United News of India

01-06-2025

Agra (UP), Jun 1 (UNI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Sunday that the birth anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar is not a date or a historical event, but a philosophy of life for everyone.
Addressing a seminar organised under the Tercentenary Year Smriti Abhiyan-2025 of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, organised at GIC Ground, Pachkuiyan, the Vice President said, "We will have to take a pledge that we will follow her ideals. Lokmata was the representative of India's great tradition in difficult times, where religion-culture and governance flow in the same stream. So many temples including Somnath Gujarat, Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Rameshwaram Gokarna were revived by her hands. Veerangana Ahilyabai Holkar is an inspiration for us."
He said that creation and preservation of culture is very important. "When invader Aurangzeb brutally attacked Kashi Vishwanath, 100 years later Ahilyabai Holkar showed foresight and built a temple of Kashi Vishwanath," he said.
Discussing the current scenario, Dhankar said that the entire country is overwhelmed by the miraculous change that has come there. "One feels happy to see the picturesque ghats there. This work has been done by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath under the leadership of PM Modi," he said.
He said that Yogi Adityanath is a visionary and believes in work. "In December 2021, he unveiled the statue of Adi Shankaracharya and Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar at Kashi Vishwanath. The work done by Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar was done by Yogi Adityanath. He transformed UP," he said.
He said, "After Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya, work will also be done in Mathura. The coming generations will remember the work of Yogi in the same way as we remember Lokmata today.
The Vice President said, "let us take a pledge that like Lokmata Ahilyabai, we will also consider duty as religion and will advance rights through service. Like the creation of law, Ahilyabai's thinking has also come in Yogi Adityanath," he said.
Recalling the valour of the Indian Army, he said that on April 22, the enemies showed cowardice in Pahalgam, they were answered.
Congratulating the Indian Army for the success of Operation Sindoor, the Vice President said that due to the valour of the army, the enemy had to chew iron grams. "The army gave a message to the world that India has changed. India will end terrorism, we will completely destroy anyone who tries to harm us," he said.
Addressing CM Yogi, he said, "how great the military production on your land is, it will keep echoing in the ears of the enemy. "The Brahmos manufactured here destroyed them by entering the hideouts of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba," he said.
Dhankar said that Yogi Adityanath has completely changed the image of UP during his tenure. "Today UP means good governance and rule of law. Development is not possible without the rule of law. UP has now become Uttam Pradesh," he said.
He further said, "we are Indians, Indianness is our identity and nationalism is our religion. Nation is supreme. Whatever we do for the nation is less," he said.
The Vice President said, "My head is held high with pride because Ahilyabai Holkar also belonged to a farmer family. She was a lover of justice. She set very high standards for women empowerment. She formed a contingent of women in her army. Women empowerment is at its peak in today's India. There is reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies as well. Ahilyabai Holkar did a lot for the farmers. Farmers are determined, so India will develop," he said.
He said that today's UP has become a wonderful example of cultural heritage. "Miraculous work beyond imagination has been done here. It started in 2014, when Narendra Modi chose Kashi as his political area. It gained momentum in 2017, when Yogi became the CM. Yogi has the pride of running the largest province continuously for so many years. The world was surprised to see the organisation of Maha Kumbh. The message of India's culture went all over the world," he said.
Programme coordinator Union Minister and Agra MP Prof S P Singh Baghel welcomed the guests. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Vice President's wife Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Prof Ramshankarrao Shinde, former Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, MP V K Parthasarathy, Bastipati Nagaraju were present in the programme.
UNI AB SS