Defence minster Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that India would never bow down, whether it was Haldigahti or Galwan valley while speaking of the valour and sacrifice of Maharana Pratap and the battle of Haldighati. Addressing the Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Maha Sammelan in Maharashtra's Sambhaji Nagar, the Union minister said that Maharana Pratap ate rotis made of grass but never compromised with self-respect.
"If you understand his dedication, then you will call his times a Maharana kal (era) and not a Mughal era. Maharana Pratap never bowed before (emperor) Akbar and kept his Mevad almost invincible," Singh said.
"Be it Mevad, Haldighati, or Galwan, India's head has always been held high and will remain so," the minister said.
During his address, Singh said that under Modi as PM India's weapons exports which were Rs 900 crore in 2014, increased to more than Rs 16,000 crore now.
"We should thank Modi for his insistence on making the country aatmanirbhar (self-reliant)," he added.
He also praised Modi for being instrumental in the evacuation of Indian students from war-torn Ukraine.
"PM Modi spoke to (Russian president Vladimir) Putin and (Ukraine president Volodymyr) Zelensky. He also spoke to (US president Joe) Biden when needed. The war stopped briefly so that more than 22,000 students stuck in Ukraine could be rescued and they returned home. Parents of these students were demanding that PM Modi rescue them.
"I am proud of PM Modi who did something that no other country was able to do," the senior BJP leader said.