Prime Minister Office of India : PM condemns terror attack in Pathankot

Strongly condemning the terror attack in Pathankot today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that enemies of humanity who cannot see the nation succeed, had attempted to cause harm to the Indian Armed Forces. He appreciated the Armed Forces for successfully defeating the designs of the terrorists, and paid homage to the jawans who were martyred during the operation. He said he is proud of the jawans and the security forces. The Prime Minister said that the nation stood united against these enemies and therefore their evil designs would never succeed. The Prime Minister was speaking at a public meeting for the inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations of His Holiness Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji of Sri Suttur Math at Maharaja College ground in Mysuru.

Earlier, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, arrived in Mysuru today. He was received at Mysuru airport by the Governor of Karnataka Shri Vajubhai Vala, and the Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah.

The Prime Minister visited the Avadhoota Datta Peetham, where he met His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji. He visited the Datta Temple and was conferred the Peetham honours. Addressing the gathering there, the Prime Minister said that sages and saints in India do a lot of work for society which is not fully appreciated. In this context he appreciated the work of the Avadhoota Datta Peetham. The Governor of Karnataka Shri Vajubhai Vala was present.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of His Holiness Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji of Sri Suttur Math, at Maharaja College Ground in Mysuru. He unveiled a foundation stone for a Knowledge Research Centre to mark the occasion. Addressing a large gathering, he said that Saint Basaveshwara had showed the path of social reform centuries ago. He recalled that he had the great fortune to unveil a statue of Shri Basaveshwara in London recently. The Prime Minister said that Indian society was unique because social reformers arose from it time and again, to reform society, and fight social evils. He said it was the social reform movements of the 18th and 19th century that laid the foundation for India's successful freedom movement in the 20th century.

The Prime Minister said that the 21st century is the century of knowledge, and the country which focused on knowledge and innovation would lead the world in this century. He appreciated Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji, for his Initiative of the Knowledge Resource Centre.

The Prime Minister recalled the recent meeting of the CoP-21 in Paris, and the initiatives of 'Mission Innovation' and 'International Solar Alliance' taken there, in which India had played a leading role.

The Governor of Karnataka Shri Vajubhai Vala, the Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah and Union Ministers Shri Ananth Kumar and Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda were present on the occasion.