Rajkot, Apr 12 (PTI) Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur exhorted the current and future generations on Tuesday to connect with their cultural roots and propagate India's rich legacy among the masses.

Addressing the legendary Madhavpur Ghed festival here, Thakur lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the revival of the country's lost heritage through the development of pilgrimage centres such as Ayodhya, Kedarnath, Kashi Vishwanath and improving the connectivity for the Char Dham temples.

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It is under Modi that the Kedarnath temple has seen a grand uplift, while the grandeur of the Somnath temple, which was restored by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, has also achieved new highs under the prime minister, he said.

Thakur recalled that the Madhavpur Ghed festival is celebrated to mark the marriage of Lord Krishna and Rukmini, who hailed from present-day Arunachal Pradesh.

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He said the festival is the highest symbol of connecting the people of India and it brings together the far east of the country and the west.

On the developmental work in the northeast, Thakur said the "Look East" policy has become the "Act East" policy only under the Modi government, adding that the northeastern states have seen unprecedented development in infrastructure and facilities since the current government took charge in 2014.

The Union minister said while the country gained political independence in 1947, the cultural independence was achieved only in 2014, when cultural nationalism became a crucial part of the political discourse.

The Madhavpur Ghed festival was inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)