West can learn from Indian traditions: Modi

If the world wants to survive, it will have to learn the rules of survival from India, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, referring to traditional and mythological methods of protecting the environment. He spoke at a programme organised at Tagore Hall, Ahmedabad, on World Environment Day.

To mark the day, an exhibition was organised at the venue and saplings were planted to encourage afforestation. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will be offering 1 lakh saplings to citizens and intends to have 2 lakh planted within a year.

Speaking at the event, Modi said, “People in the West have created a wrong impression of Indians because we worship trees. We term trees as deities, yet cut them down. Similarly, Hindu gods are associated with one or another animal, bird or tree. This teaches us to respect them.”

The chief minister said that our ancestors developed traditions whereby the environment was protected. “Nag Panchami was created because snakes come out in the monsoon. People who are scared might kill them. The tradition of worshipping the Nag was started so that no one kills them,” he said, while emphasising that human beings have spoiled the environmental cycle.

Modi’s disappointment with the recent Lok Sabha election came to the fore when he spoke about increasing the use of solar power. He said he had sent a proposal, Suryadev, about studying sunlight to the prime minister. “There was no response. I will have to wait for better days in order to implement the project,” he said.