Forces have made 'swacch LoC': Naidu on surgical strikes

New Delhi, Oct 2: A "swacch LoC" has been achieved after Indian security forces gave a befitting reply to our neighbour which is funding and abetting terror, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said.

"The other day you have seen what is Modi. Our neighbour is funding, aiding, abetting, training terrorists. They have been given a befitting reply by our forces.... swachh man, swachh dhan, swachh tan and now swachh border, swachh LoC has been done.

Now all have to come together to take forward Swachh Bharat," the Information and Broadcasting minister said. The senior minister was referring to the Army's surgical strikes across LoC in Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) where it destroyed terror launch pads.

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Naidu also asked people to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a clean India and become 'swachhagrahis'. Lauding the Prime Minister, Naidu said Modi stands for "Mood of Developing India".

He said Mahatama Gandhi had during the freedom movement given a call for satyagraha and those who participated became 'satyagrahis'.

"Now the time has come, all of us taking the call of the Prime Minister should become 'Swacchagrahi'. On the pious day of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday today, let us all become 'Swacchagrahi', Naidu, who also holds the Urban Development portfolio said. He said in the 21st century India had to be free from illiteracy and "Litterati" - a reference to those who throw litter in the open. He said the Prime Minister always wanted 'Swacch Bharat' to become a people's movement.

The aim of the nationwide cleanliness drive was to clean up the country by 2019, the year that marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gandhiji.

The senior minister was speaking at the award giving ceremony of a 'Swachh' film competition, where Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present.

While lauding the creativity of those who participated in the short film competition, Naidu said eminent filmmakers - Madhur Bhandarkar, Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi, Prasoon Pandey, Ramesh Sippy and Shoojit Sircar will also produce films on Swachh Bharat. Naidu said efforts will be made to exhibit these films widely.

PTI