MUMBAI, 26 AUGUST, 2019 (GPN):

PM’s address it all in the 3rd Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’ on 25.08.2019

New Delhi : Many people have expressed a desire to know more about the ‘Man vs. Wild’ television episode aired on Discovery Channel. This time when I was thinking about ‘Mann ki Baat’, I was sure that a lot of questions would crop up about this subject and that’s what exactly happened. In the last few weeks wherever I went and met people, ‘Man vs. Wild’ gets a mention! With this one episode, I have not only formed a connect with the youth around the world but I had never thought that I would find a certain place in young hearts in this way. I had never thought that the youth of our country and the world pay attention to diverse things.

I had never thought that there would be an opportunity in my life to touch the hearts of young people around the world. And look what happens? Just last week I went to Bhutan. I have seen that whenever I have had the opportunity to go as Prime Minister, and of course credit also goes to International Yoga Day, the situation now is that wherever I go in the world or interact with someone, people invariably spend close to 5-7 minutes asking questions on yoga.

There must hardly be a major world leader who has not discussed yoga with me and this has been my experience all over the world. But these days I’m experiencing something new. Whoever I meet or wherever there is a chance to talk, the focus is on Wildlife, discussions about the environment, the Tiger, the Asiatic Lion, evolution etc. and I am amazed how interested people are in nature.

The Discovery Channel plans to broadcast this programme in 165 countries in their respective languages. Today, when there is a global churning of thought on environment, Global Warming, and Climate Change, I do hope that in such circumstances, this episode of Discovery Channel will help greatly in familiarizing the world with the message from India, the traditions of India and the empathy for nature in India’s trail of glorious traditions.

It is my firm belief that people want to know the steps taken in the direction of climate justice and clean environment in India. But there is another interesting thing, some people ask me one thing albeit with some hesitation -Modi ji, you were speaking in Hindi and Bear Grylls does not know Hindi, so how did you carry on such a fast conversation between the two of you? Was this episode edited later? How many times did the shooting happen for this episode and how it happened? They ask with great curiosity.

Now, there is no secret in this. Many people have this question in their minds, so I will unravel this secret. Well, in a way it is no secret at all! The reality is that technology was used extensively in my conversation with Bear Grylls. Whenever I spoke immediately there was a simultaneous translation into English or simultaneous interpretation and Bear Grylls had a small cordless instrument in his ear. So I used to speak in Hindi but he heard it in English and because of that the communication became very easy and this is an amazing aspect about technology.

After the broadcast of this show, a large number of people have been discussing about Jim Corbett National Park. You must also visit sites associated with nature and wild life and animals. As I have said before, and I emphasize, that you must visit the north-east in your lifetime. What a glorious abundance of nature exists there. You will be left wonderstruck! Your horizon will expand. On 15th August, I urged all of you from the ramparts of the Red Fort to visit at least 15 places within a span of the next 3 years, 15 places within India and for 100% tourism, visit these 15 sites! Witness and observe. Do take the family and spend some time there.

Our country is full of diversity and this wide range of diversity will also inculcate variations within you as a teacher. Your life will be enriched. Your thinking will expand. And trust me, there are places within India from where you will come back with renewed energy, enthusiasm, zeal and inspiration, and maybe you will feel like returning to certain places again and again; your family too would feel the same.

My dear countrymen, the concern and care for the environment in India seems natural. Last month I had the privilege of releasing the tiger census in the country. Do you know how many tigers there are in India? The tiger population in India is 2967, two thousand nine hundred sixty seven.

A few years ago, we were with great difficulty at a figure half of what we have at present. The Tiger summit took place in 2010 at St. Petersburg, Russia. At this summit, a resolution was taken expressing concern about the dwindling tiger population in the world. It was resolved to double the number of tigers worldwide by 2022. But this is New India, where we accomplish goals in the quickest time possible. We doubled our tiger numbers in 2019 itself. Not only the tiger population in India was doubled, but the number of protected areas and community reserves has also increased.

At the time I was releasing the data on tigers, I also remembered the Asiatic lion of the Gir in Gujarat. I had the charge of the Chief Minister of Gujrat at a period of time when the habitat of lions in the forests of Gir was shrinking. Their number was decreasing. We took several innovative steps, one after the other in the Gir. In 2007, it was decided to deploy female guards. There were improvements in the infrastructure to increase tourism. Whenever we talk about nature and wildlife, we only talk about conservation. But, we now have to move beyond conservation and think about compassion. Our scriptures have provided great guidance with respect to this subject. Our scriptures have said centuries ago: –

निर्वनो बध्यते व्याघ्रो, निर्व्याघ्रं छिद्यते वनम |

तस्माद् व्याघ्रो वनं रक्षेत्, वनं व्याघ्रं न पालयेत् ||

That is, if there are no forests, tigers are forced to venture into the human habitat and are killed, and if there are no tigers in the forest, then man cuts the forest and destroys it, so in fact the tiger protects the forest and not that the forest protects the tiger – our forefathers explained this great truth in a befitting manner. Therefore, we need to not only conserve our forests, flora and fauna, but also create an environment wherein they can flourish properly.

My dear countrymen, who can forget the historic speech of Swami Vivekananda delivered on September 11, 1893. This young monk of India, who shook the conscience of the human race of the entire world, imparted onto this world a glorious identity of India. The enslaved India which was gazed at by the world in a much distorted manner was forced to change its way of looking at India due to the words of a great man like Swami Vivekananda on September 11, 1893. Come, let us look anew at India which Swami Vivekananda had seen and let us put in practice the inherent strength of India realized by Swami Vivekananda. We possess everything within us, let us proceed with confidence.

My dear countrymen, all of you will remember that the 29th of August is celebrated as ‘National Sports Day’. On this occasion, we are going to launch the ‘Fit India Movement’ across the country. We have to keep ourselves fit and the nation has to be made fit. It will be a very interesting campaign for everyone – children, the elderly, the young and women and it will be your own movement. But today I am not going to reveal its specifics; you must wait for 29thAugust! I will tell you about ‘Fit India Movement’ in detail on 29thAugust and I am not going to forget connecting you with the movement because I want to see you fit! I want to make you aware about fitness and for a fit India, we should unite to set some goals for the country.

My dear countrymen, I will be waiting for your participation on 29th August in ‘Fit India Movement’, in ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ during the month of September and especially in the ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’ beginning from the 11th of September to the 2nd of October. And 2nd October as a day has been totally dedicated to riddance from plastic. All of us with all our might must try to get rid of plastics from our home and everywhere outside our houses. And I know that all these campaigns will make a big splash on social media. Come, let us proceed with a new zeal, new resolve and renewed strength.

My dear countrymen, this is all that this episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has in store for you today. I shall be meeting you later. I will wait for your say and your suggestions. Come, let us all march together to make the India which was dreamt of by our freedom fighters and realize Gandhi’s dreams – ‘Swantah: Sukhayah’. Let us proceed, enjoying our inner bliss, expressing our spirit of service.

Many many Thanks.

Namaskar