Rajnath Singh unveils statue of Panna Dhai, says India strong, well-equipped to deal with all challenges

Udaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 30 : Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled a statue of legendary Panna Dhai who sacrificed her son while serving the state in Udaipur on Tuesday.
"I have never seen such an idol of Panna Dhai anywhere else in India. I decided that no matter how many obstacles come, I'll go to inaugurate the statue of Panna Dhai," said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
He further highlighted that people like Panna Dhai should be remembered as they have contributed to concreting the empires we hear of today.
"Everyone remembers emperors and empires. But we should remember those who have contributed to building empires by sacrificing their lives... Panna Dhai is the mother of all of India," he added.
Panna Dhai is a 16th-century nursemaid to Udai Singh II, the fourth son of Indian ruler Sangram Singh I, popularly known as Rana Sanga.
Paying glowing tributes, Singh commended the bravery of Panna Dhai, who sacrificed her son to protect Udai Singh II, father of Maharana Pratap in the interest of Mewar and the entire country.
He urged the people to take inspiration from Panna Dhai and play their part in nation-building.
He further stated that the steps taken by the Government in the last eight years have injected new confidence into the Armed Forces.
He asserted that India has never attacked any country, nor has it captured an inch of foreign land. Still, if anyone ever tries to harm the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the Nation, a befitting reply will be given.
"It is the result of the last eight years that India is no longer weak. We clarified our stand on terrorism when our Armed Forces, displaying tremendous might, carried out surgical strikes in 2016 and Balakot airstrikes in 2019. It was a proof that India's military prowess is no less than any country," Rajnath Singh said.
He assured the Nation that the Armed Forces are deployed with full readiness to protect the people from anti-India elements."
Singh pointed out that the efforts taken by the Government have started to bear fruit as India is not only catering to its own needs but is also fulfilling the requirements of other countries.
"The defence exports, worth about Rs 900 crore eight years ago, have now grown to around Rs 13,000 crore. A target of Rs 2.75 lakh crore worth of defence exports by 2047 has been set, exuding confidence that India is well on course to achieve the objective," he noted.
The Defence Minister reiterated the Government's commitment to ensure the safety of Indians who not only reside within the country, but also in other parts of the world.
He stressed that the safe return of Indian nationals from Ukraine, amid its ongoing situation with Russia, was a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve of ensuring the safety and security of every Indian.