New Delhi, June 5- Special days like World Environment Day are about spreading awareness about an issue, in this case preserving the environment, this year it was also about symbolism and strong messaging about India’s women and their strength and valour.
Along with planting a banyan sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday also planted a ‘sindoor’ sapling presented to him by a group of women in Kutch at his official residence.
The PM posted photos of him planting the sindoor sapling and watering it, calling it a “symbol of women’s strength and inspiration”.
Taking to the social media, he wrote “The brave mothers and sisters of Kutch, who set an amazing example of courage and valour in the 1971 war, recently presented me with a Sindoor plant during my visit to Gujarat.
“Today, on World Environment Day, I have had the privilege of planting that plant in the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi. This plant will remain a strong symbol of the valour and inspiration of the women power of our country.”
The women had supported the Indian Army by helping rebuild the Bhuj airfield. Officials said a memorial forest named Sindoor Van will be developed near Bhuj to honour Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
The strong messaging follows the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April in which men were killed in front of their wives. Associated with married Hindu women, ‘sindoor’ subsequently became a national symbol, triggering strong military retaliation Operation Sindoor under which terror bases inside Pakistan and PoK were targeted.
The name of the operation was suggested by PM Modi, say sources.
Days that followed saw the PM use the word many times to stress his point. “Not blood, but sindoor flows through my veins,” he also said at one public meeting.
Meanwhile the banyan tree he planted at the Mahavir Vanasthali Park in Delhi aims at strengthening the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative under the Aravalli Green Wall project
Highlighting the importance of reforesting the Aravalli range, the PM said the range spanning Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi is one of the oldest on the planet but faces multiple environmental challenges. The government is committed to addressing them, he said, adding that new techniques will be encouraged in addition to the traditional planting methods.
Plantation activities will also be geo-tagged and monitored on the Meri LiFE portal. The Centre will work with local administrations to improve water systems, curbing dust storms, stopping eastward expansion of the Thar desert and more, he added.
