He was virtually addressing an event organised to mark the 200th birth anniversary of Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati at his birth place Tankara in Gujarat’s Morbi district.

"Swami Dayanand Saraswati at that time showed us how our orthodoxy and social evils had harmed us," Modi said.

He also said that the British rulers "tried to show our society in bad light due to orthodoxy and social evils of Hindu society."

Swami Dayanand Saraswati had advocated for the equal rights for women in the society, the PM said.

"An education system based on Indian values is the need of the hour. Arya Samaj schools have been a centre for this. The country is now expanding it through the National Education Policy. It is our responsibility to connect the society with these efforts," he said.

PM Modi also said he was honoured to be born in Gujarat, where Swami Dayanand Saraswati was born.