Modi in Kerala for Amma's 60th birthday

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that humanitarian projects taken up by the Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt and other ashrams offered hope at a time when the world and the country were being hit by terrorism and violence.

He was speaking at celebrations in connection with the Mata’s 60th birthday, at Vallikkavu in Kollam.

The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 regretted that ,on the one hand,  violence killed innocent people in recent terror attacks in Nairobi, Peshawar and in  Jammu early on Thursday.

“On the other side, we have people like Amma who serve humanity and are working towards making the world a better place,” he said.

Modi said the Amma could have limited the scope of her work to spirituality but she, instead, chose to extend it by adopting scientific and technological progress through institutions under the Ashram. He lauded her role as an inspiring presence that brings educated youngsters back to the country and use their skills to make lives here better. Through her social service initiatives, she’s doing the government’s work.

Modi – who commenced his speech in Malayalam – also called for a return to traditional value systems to help the country match its potential. “The Macaulay education system has led to misinterpretation of what our seers have done and said. We have undermined their tradition of service.The nation’s freedom struggle was also enriched by the presence of spiritual leaders,” he said.

Modi launched a host of technology projects devised at institutions run by the Ashram in the presence of the Mata, various spiritual and community leaders and other guests including acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. He left for Trichy after attending the function at Vallikkavu.