NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Hajj pilgrimage was especially special for Muslim women from India this year, as more than 4,000 such women went on the annual pilgrimage without a Mehram (male guardian).
Addressing the nation during the 103rd episode of his monthly radio broadcast, 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi termed the Hajj pilgrimage by Muslim women from India, without their male parents or custodians, as a 'huge transformation'. He said he received numerous letters from Muslim women sharing their experiences from the Hajj this year.
"I received a lot of letters (ahead of his latest 'Mann Ki Baat' address), which brought me great joy. These letters have been written by Muslim women who recently returned from the Hajj pilgrimage. Their journey this year was very special in many ways," PM Modi said.
"These are the women who performed their Hajj rituals with any male companion or Mehram. And such pilgrims numbered not 50 or 100 but more than 4,000. This marks a huge transformation," he added. PM Modi also thanked the Government of Saudi Arabia for the unique Hajj experience for Muslim women this year.
"Earlier, Muslim women were not allowed to perform Hajj rituals without Mehram. Through 'Mann Ki Baat', I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Saudi Arabia for making this possible. Women coordinators were specially appointed for women pilgrims who went on Hajj without male companions," he said.
According to an official statement, 4,314 Muslim women from India performed the Hajj rituals at Mecca in Saudi Arabia this year.
As the celebrations for Independence Day are around the corner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that a great campaign titled 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' will be launched to honour our fallen bravehearts.
"In the midst of the ongoing reverberations of Amrit Mahotsav and August 15 around the corner, another great campaign is on the verge of being launched in the country. The Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign will be launched to honour our fallen bravehearts," PM Modi said.
He said that an Amrit Vatika (garden) will also be built near the National War Memorial, Delhi, and that soil and saplings, in 7,500 urns, from every corner of the country will reach the national capital.
"Under this, many programmes will be organised across the country in memory of our immortal jawans, including an 'Amrit Kalash Yatra', as a part of which saplings in 7500 urns from every corner of the country will reach the national capital to make an Amrit Vatika near the National War Memorial," PM Modi said," adding that this 'Amrit Vatika' will also become a grand symbol of 'Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat'.
He said that under 'Meri Mati Mera Desh, special inscriptions will also be installed in lakhs of village panchayats across the country.
Besides, the Prime Minister also appealed to the countrymen to take part in the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign this year and carry forward this tradition continuously.
While addressing his monthly radio broadcast, PM Modi underlined the Centre's efforts and commitment to water conservation, saying that over 60,000 Amrit Sarovars built during the 'Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', have already emerged as shining landmarks and 50,000 more are in the works. (ANI)
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