Former BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav’s new book ‘Because India Comes First’ was launched at an event in Chennai on Sunday (December 20).
Tamil Nadu Minister for Tamil Official Language, Tamil Culture and Archaeology Ma Foi. K. Pandiarajan presided as the Chief Guest in the event organized by Tamil Nadu Young Thinkers Forum.
Congratulating the BJP leader for his book, the Minister said that the title aptly captures the essence of the book which draws on several events and personalities elemental in shaping India’s destiny.
The Minister also said that for a long time, the political discourse and issues of debate in Tamil Nadu were largely out of sync at the national level and that things are changing now. “Until a few years back, Tamil Nadu would be debating something while the rest of India would be debating something else. Now it has changed, we see issues of national interest, be it Kashmir or CAA or Assam, have found place in the political discourses in the state”, Minister Pandiarajan said.
BJP leader Ram Madhav thanked the Minister for gracing the occasion as Chief Guest and said that his speech amounted to a review of the book itself.
“We politicians are usually considered ‘knowledge-proof’ like ‘water-proof’, meaning, nothing goes inside our head (laughs). But Minister Pandiarajan is proof of a well-read political leader who has provided a review of my book in such a short span of time referencing what Nehru wrote, etc.”, Ram Madhav said.
The BJP leader said that the ideological and political upbringing has always instilled the idea of putting the nation supreme at all cost. He also added that the world is looking at India differently.
“You know the Vietnamese stood helpless when China breached the 9 dash line. They even sunk 2 of their fishing boats in the South China Sea. They went to the international court but China couldn’t be brought to books. Today, as India is holding ground in Ladakh while simultaneously resolving the issue through diplomatic parleys, many countries are looking towards India and drawing confidence and strength”, Ram Madhav said.
He also said that India is regaining its civilization and cultural identity that had been lost for a long time post-independence. Today, we have a Prime Minister who has no qualms in smearing the vermilion on his forehead when he goes to places like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Kashi and so on.
“When was the last time you saw a PM proudly wearing India’s civilizational identity on his sleeve?” Ram Madhav said.
The event was also graced by Swami Mitrananda of Chinamaya Mission and former Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy.
The book is now available for purchase on Amazon.