Pune: Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on Saturday advised the youth to read Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s revered book Gita Rahasya to avoid mistakes in life. He also recalled Tilak’s crucial role in awakening national consciousness.
HM Shah encouraged students to follow the path shown by Tilak. He was speaking after presenting the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and praised his distinguished service.
His statement comes days after intense protests erupted at Jantar Mantar over NEET paper leaks, where police used shock batons and tear gas against the youths protesting there, leaving several injured.
Following the widespread agitation by youths across India, the central government was forced to step back, leading to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The issue subsequently caused a major uproar in Parliament. Amid these developments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the youth solely by sharing a video message.
However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah refrained from commenting on the protests, drawing sharp criticism from Opposition leaders. Despite the pressure, HM Shah issued no statement on the matter.
Speaking in Pune, he again avoided referencing the agitation and instead drew upon Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy, advising young people to read Gita Rahasya.
“I obtained Lokmanya Tilak’s Gita Rahasya in Gujarati. My appeal to the youth is this: Read Tilak’s Gita, and I guarantee you will never make a mistake in your life. This text represents the practical essence of the Bhagavad Gita. It demonstrates how a common person can live according to its teachings,” HM Shah stated.
Shah highlighted Tilak’s journalistic impact, noting that if there were any newspapers the British truly feared, they were Kesari and Mahratta. He emphasised that Tilak played a monumental role through these publications.
“Tilak believed that freedom achieved without awakening national consciousness holds no true value. Freedom must be earned by rousing the spirit of the nation,” Shah remarked, adding that Tilak successfully united people through various cultural festivals and public initiatives.
Expressing his appreciation to the organisers, Shah thanked the Tilak Smarak Trust for inviting him to present the award to NSA Ajit Doval. He noted that conferring awards is a way to recognise exceptional service to society.
According to Shah, when an individual performs extraordinary work for the nation, they transcend beyond being just an individual and become an institution.
Honouring such personalities fulfills society’s expression of gratitude and inspires others to follow in their footsteps.
Shah expressed confidence that presenting the Tilak Award to Doval would serve as a major source of inspiration for citizens across all walks of life.
Highlighting Tilak’s enduring legacy on his death anniversary, Shah emphasised how Tilak transformed Swaraj (self-rule) into a mass movement, promoted Swadeshi (indigenous production), and utilised cultural festivals like Ganesh Utsav to unite society against colonial rule.
Shah noted that Tilak’s vision for self-reliance and economic nationalism remains the foundation of modern initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat.
(IANS)
