Gandhi gave direction to nation: Modi

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said October is the month of remembering great leaders including Mahatma Gandhi who gave the nation a proper direction towards 20th and 21st centuries.

"From Mahatma Gandhi to Sardar Patel, there are many great leaders who gave us the direction towards the 20th and 21st centuries, led us, guided us and faced so many hardships for the country," Modi said in his radio programme Mann Ki Baat.

October 2 is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. October 11 is the birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan and Nanaji Deshmukh while Sardar Patel's birth anniversary falls on October 31.

He said this year was the centenary birth anniversary of Nanaji Deshmukh and Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

The Prime Minister said the focus of all these men was to live for the country, do something for the nation and lead the people not by sermons but action.

"Gandhiji, Jai Prakashji, Deen Dayalji were such great personalities who remained far away from the corridors of power but lived every moment for the people."

Modi said Nanaji Deshmukh devoted his life for the betterment of villages while Deendayal talked about transforming the life of deprived, distressed and the poor through education and employment.

"We are not obliging these great men by remembering them but we remember them so that we may be able to foresee our forays into the future and the direction we choose."

Indicating that he will speak about Sardar Patel in the next episode of Mann Ki Baat, Modi said Patel unified the nation. "Let us preserve this unity by promoting and participating in the programme 'Run for unity'."