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New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for their efforts to increase the number of Indian breed dogs in their units.
He also expressed his hope for National Unity Day to be celebrated on 31 October.
In a historic first, BSF will showcase a special marching contingent of indigenous Indian breed dogs during the upcoming Unity Day Parade at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
The event, organized to commemorate the National Unity Day, will also include a dog training demonstration highlighting the tactical skills and operational excellence – which is the proud symbol of India’s self-reliant K9 force.
Addressing the 127th episode of his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi said the most satisfying thing for him would be that the topics discussed during the program “inspire people to do something good, something innovative for the society. It brings out many aspects of our culture and our country.”
He said, “Many of you would remember that about five years ago, I had discussed the Indian breed of dogs in this program. I had urged my fellow citizens and our security forces to adopt the Indian breed of dogs, as they are more easily adapted to our environment and conditions. I am happy to say that our security agencies have made commendable efforts in this direction. The BSF and CRPF have inducted the Indian breed in their troops. The number of dogs has increased.”
Indian breeds have long been celebrated for their courage, stamina and loyalty. From royal courts to battlefields, these dogs have been an integral part of India’s cultural and martial traditions.
This legacy was revived in 2018 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the National Dog Training Center (NTCD) in Tekanpur and urged for the induction of Indian breeds in the country’s security forces.
Building on the vision of the Prime Minister reiterated during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address on August 30, 2020, the BSF began inducting and training two indigenous breeds – the Rampur Hound from Uttar Pradesh and the Mudhol Hound from the Deccan Plateau.
This time, PM Modi mentioned that special attention is being given to the Rampur Hound of Uttar Pradesh and the Mudhol Hound of Karnataka and Maharashtra at the BSF’s National Dog Training Center located in Tekanpur, Gwalior.
He said, “At this centre, trainers are training dogs more effectively with the help of technology and innovation. The training manual for Indian breed dogs has been rewritten to bring out their unique strengths. At the CRPF’s Dog Breeding and Training School in Bengaluru, Indian breeds like Mongrel, Mudhol Hounds, Kombai and Pandicona are being trained.”
The Prime Minister said that last year an All India Police Duty Meet was held in Lucknow, in which a dog named ‘Riya’ attracted everyone’s attention.
He said, “This is a Mudhol Hound trained by BSF. Riya won the first prize there, leaving behind many foreign breeds.”
PM Modi further said that now BSF has started the tradition of giving Indian names to its dogs instead of foreign names.
He said, “Our native dogs have also shown amazing courage. Last year, while patrolling in the Maoist-affected area of Chhattisgarh, a native dog of CRPF had detected eight kilograms of explosives.”
“I congratulate the BSF and CRPF for the efforts made in this direction. I am also looking forward to 31st October. It is the birth anniversary of Iron Man Sardar Patel. Every year on this occasion, special ceremonies are organized near the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The Unity Day Parade is also held there and the capabilities of Indian dogs will again be showcased in this parade. It is a must watch if you get a chance.”
–IANS
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