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Kolhapur : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12 years in office would occupy a significant place in the history of independent India, and his tenure would be remembered for building a resurgent nation and enhancing its prestige globally.
The chapter on Narendra Modi’s 12 years in office will be inscribed in golden letters for creating a resurgent India and enhancing the country’s prestige, he said.
“When the history of independent India is written, the chapter on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12 years in office will be recorded for creating a resurgent India and for enhancing the country’s prestige across the world,” Shah said while addressing a gathering after the launch of the Goddess Ambabai temple corridor project here in Maharashtra.
He said several tasks once considered impossible had been accomplished in the last 12 years under Modi’s leadership, citing the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the redevelopment of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines, and works at Somnath and Kamakhya temples.
Shah said a cultural renaissance was taking place across the country under the mantra of “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi” (development as well as heritage), and described the Ambabai temple corridor as another step in preserving India’s religious and cultural legacy.
He said the Rs 500-crore project would come up over 28,058 square metres and transform the historic seventh-Century shrine into a modern pilgrimage centre equipped with AI-based security systems, LED lighting, heritage galleries, a light-and-sound show, a multipurpose hall and other facilities.
Shah added that 41 temples in and around the Mahalaxmi temple would be conserved in consultation with the Archaeological Department and thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Maharashtra government for taking up the project.
“Spending Rs 1,500 crore on places where our history, religion and culture reside is not a big amount. Such places inspire the entire country,” Shah said.
He said Modi had recently set a record by becoming the country’s longest-serving elected prime minister and credited him with strengthening India in sectors ranging from infrastructure and manufacturing to semiconductors, quantum engineering, software and space technology.
Recalling the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Shah said Indians once believed the moon was very far away, but Modi had taken Chandrayaan to the lunar south pole and established the Shiv Shakti Point, filling every Indian with pride.
Referring to the BJP’s win in West Bengal polls, Shah said, “From the sacred land of Kolhapur, I want to tell the people of the country with confidence that the people of Bengal have blessed us.
“We are indebted to them for their trust and will repay it by identifying every infiltrator one by one and throwing them out of the country”.
He said during the last 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, every task, once considered impossible, has been accomplished.
Recently, Modi ji created a record by becoming the country’s longest-serving elected prime minister, Shah added.
He took a sharp jibe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of sitting in Congress’s lap and trying to turn infiltrators into a vote bank, warning that India is not a dharmshala.
In an apparent reference to the imminent split in Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), Shah said that earlier people had to refer to the Shinde-led faction separately, but “now no faction remains, and there is only one Shiv Sena, which is headed by Eknath Shinde”.
The Sena (UBT) is staring at a crisis as at least six Lok Sabha MPs are believed to have revolted against Thackeray and are likely to cross over to the ruling Shiv Sena.
“These Congress leaders and Uddhav ji, who is sitting in the lap of the Congress, want to survive by turning infiltrators into a vote bank. I want to tell them clearly that this country is not a dharmshala (charitable shelter). Only those who belong to this country will live here,” Shah said.
He said every infiltrator would be identified and expelled from the country.
Shah was in Kolhapur to lay the foundation for the new Pradakshina Marg and for the conservation work of Parivar Devata Mandir at the famous Mahalaxmi temple.
Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde travelled together in a car for the event.
After taking darshan of goddess Mahalaxmi with his wife and performing puja at the temple, Shah inaugurated various development works in the precincts of the temple and reviewed development projects undertaken under the Western Maharashtra Temple Development Plan in the temple area.
He inaugurated various conservation, preservation and development works under the development plan of the Karveer Nivasini Shri Ambabai Mahalaxmi Temple.
The Mahalaxmi Temple Development Master Plan, approved by the state government, is emerging as a significant initiative to further strengthen Kolhapur’s cultural and spiritual identity.
The plan focuses on upgrading infrastructure, preserving heritage, providing modern amenities for devotees and promoting tourism.
The Shri Karveer Nivasini Mahalaxmi Ambabai Devasthan Area Development Plan received approval for a total allocation of Rs 1,445 crore during the state cabinet meeting held last year.
The developmental works worth Rs 143 crore were approved in the first phase of the project which include conservation, preservation, and restoration of the original temple in accordance with the guidelines of the Archaeological Department.
Currently, conservation work on the main temple, along with electrical, CCTV and lighting works is underway.
A total of 28,000 square metres of land has been assessed for the project.
The development master plan is expected to provide devotees with world-class facilities while giving a new direction to the growth of Kolhapur’s religious, cultural, and tourism sectors, according to officials. (Agencies)
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