Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Chhath Puja as India’s ultimate symbol of cultural and social harmony in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast Sunday, declaring this year’s festivities “extra vibrant” thanks to the triumph of Operation Sindoor and the near-eradication of Maoist terror. “For the first time, Diwali lamps glowed in villages once shrouded in Naxal darkness; now Chhath ghats echo with joy where fear once silenced devotion,” Modi said, crediting security forces for liberating tribal belts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

The PM painted vivid scenes of unity at riverbanks: “Rich and poor, upper and lower castes—all stand shoulder-to-shoulder offering arghya to the Sun God. This is Bharat’s soul.” He urged the diaspora to join local Chhath celebrations, noting over 50,000 NRIs in the US and UK organized ghats this year. Modi revealed that post-Operation Sindoor, 47 former Maoist strongholds in Bastar now host government-run Chhath melas with solar-lit ghats and free medical camps.

Security gains extended beyond humans. Responding to Modi’s earlier call, CRPF and BSF have inducted 1,200 indigenous breeds—Mudhol Hounds, Rajapalayam, Chippiparai—into K-9 units, reducing foreign breed dependency by 60%. “Our desi dogs are outperforming imports in jungle tracking,” the PM beamed. In Gujarat, the Dholera mangrove revolution—now spanning 3,500 hectares—has lured back endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, with 300 sightings logged this monsoon.

Also Read: PM Modi Strengthens India–ASEAN Ties with Maritime Fund, Heritage-Tech Partnerships

Cultural pride surged as Modi announced November 7 as Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary, first sung by Rabindranath Tagore in 1896. “Every heart beats faster at those words,” he said, launching a nationwide #VandeMataram150 challenge for Sanskrit reels. Over 2.5 lakh youth have already posted, teaching shlokas via Instagram and YouTube. Coffee exports hit a record $1.5 billion, with Coorg Arabica winning gold at the Paris Coffee Olympics.

Ahead of Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary on October 31, Modi called for mass participation in Run for Unity events in 750 districts. “Sardar Patel unified 562 kingdoms; let us unify hearts,” he urged. Tributes poured in for Bhagwan Birsa Munda, with 150 tribal freedom fighter statues unveiled in Jharkhand. As Chhath begins October 27, Modi’s message resonated: terror’s defeat has made faith fearless again.

Also Read: PM Modi Declares “Phir Ek Baar Sushasan Sarkar” in Bihar, Backs Nitish Kumar as NDA’s Face