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Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Monday said "we ignored our military" until former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri coined the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'.
Addressing an event here in Chennai, Ravi said, "We considered spending on the military as an 'unproductive expenditure'. We thought that everything will happen with peace, but forgot that unless you are strong, no one listens to your word of peace." "We ignored our military until former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri gave the slogan of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'," he added. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for naming the 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar on the name of 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. "Today, Prime Minister is naming 21 islands on Andaman and Nicobar islands on the name of 21 Param Vira Chakra awardees. Those who displayed extraordinary valour and lost lives to defend the freedom and the territorial integrity of the country are being immortalised," he said. RN Ravi said that stories of many freedom fighters need to be documented, as India is yet to have an authentic history of its freedom movement "The history has been distorted. India is yet to have an authentic history of India's national freedom movement. Our freedom movement didn't begin in 1857, it began on Day 1 of when the British started colonising the country and occupying territories. All this must be documented. It's a big task but I know that we can do it," he further said. He added that many people fought the British with arms and lost their lives at the prime of their youth. "We can't forget those who picked up arms against the British and lost their lives at the prime of their youth," he said. The Tamil Nadu Governor also pointed out that several freedom fighters remain unsung heroes or have been forgotten. "Unfortunately after the British left, many, who weren't members of the Indian National Congress and did not fight the British through non-violent means, were slowly forgotten." (ANI)
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