Keeping country's culture safe as vital as securing borders: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday stressed the importance of unity in the country, saying divisions have always led to defeat.

He also asserted that securing the country's culture is as important as keeping the borders safe.

"Whenever our unity has weakened, invaders have tried their best to destroy our civilisation and our culture," Singh said.

Therefore, a pledge of unity should be taken by learning from history, he added.

"Those who divide, they try to divide in many ways, including into different religions, castes and sects," the minister said.

"But, you should not get divided. You should neither divide nor divide others, the whole country has to stay together. We have to stay united. If we avoid division, we will move towards development and build a developed and strong India," Singh said.

He was speaking at 'Koti Deepotsavam', an event of mass lighting of 'Deepam' during the Hindu month of Kartik organised by a private TV channel here Monday night.

Quoting from ancient scriptures, he said unity is the strength of society.

By ensuring unity, the light should be spread not just in the country but the whole world as India sees the entire world as one family, Singh said.

The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also focused on cultural revival. Cultural development is also important for a country along with political, economic and social development, he said.

If a nation loses its culture, then that country suffers, Singh added.

"As the defence minister, it is my responsibility to ensure that the country's borders remain safe under our leadership. But, in my view, keeping the country's culture safe is as important as ensuring the safety of the borders," he said.

India is not just a political entity but it also has a cultural identity of thousands of years due to which we are known and accepted all over the world, the Defence Minister said.

No country is made up of just a piece of land and its people, rather a nation is made up of its culture, he said.

"If hatred is filled among the people of a country towards their culture, that country would get divided at some point in time," he said.

"Those who tried to divide India and its people have tried to show our culture as inferior but that phase is now over due to the awareness of the countrymen," Singh said.

Cultural revival is taking place in the country now, he added.