Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a ‘Charkha’ installation as a mark of tribute to the Father of the Nation on his birth anniversary, at the Civil Secretariat here, an official press release informed.
“Pujya Bapu always believed that the message of Charkha’s circumference is much broader than its tangible circumference. The goal of the ‘Charkha’ is to serve mankind, to live without hurting others, to create an inseparable bond between the rich and the poor, capital and labour,” the LG said after unveiling of the statue.
Sinha said ‘Charkha’ was used as a significant tool by Gandhi in the fight against British rule. It is a symbol of Swadeshi movement, self-reliance and economic freedom, he said.
Sinha added that Gandhi’s ideals are for all of humanity. “I hope our officers, inspired by Bapu’s ideas and ideals, will continue to work dedicatedly for the dignity of every citizen in the society, for equality, social justice, and for a developed and self-reliant Jammu Kashmir,” he said.
The LG reiterated the commitment of the J&K administration to develop villages as the centre of socio-economic growth and transform the lives of the rural population.
“Today, villages in Jammu Kashmir are witnessing unprecedented growth due to the availability of various sources of income. New entrepreneurs are starting new innings from villages. In terms of basic facilities, the gaps between village and the city are disappearing,” he said.
Following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, in 2021-22, J&K established 21,640 manufacturing and service units in the villages with the help of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), providing employment to more than 1.73 lakh. In the last financial year, 10,628 more units had been installed, he added.
The Lt Governor congratulated the Jammu & Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) for the installation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and the ‘Charkha’ installation. He also called for collective efforts by all the stakeholders for the promotion of ‘swadeshi’ products.
“There is a need to promote city-based self-help groups engaged in Khadi, which has become a new fashion statement for youth,” he added.
Dr Hina Shafi Bhat, Vice-Chairperson, KVIB; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to LG; Administrative Secretaries and senior officers of UT and Police administration also paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.
Sinha addresses UT-level celebration of Gandhi Jayanti
Says, voices are being raised against violence from every corner of J&K
Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today addressed the UT-level event organized by the Department of School Education to celebrate the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, an official press release informed.
It said the event also marked the culmination of the ‘Shanti Yatra’ started from Anantnag and series of other programmes which are the part of the month-long celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti held in schools across the UT.
In his address, the LG extended his greetings to the people on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
The LG recalled the eternal values of Mahatma Gandhi, which has been inspiring generations across the world and the power of truth, Ahimsa, Satyagraha, simple living is guiding entire humanity on the path of peace and brotherhood.
“Bapu’s thoughts are a powerful instrument for prosperity, dignity and empowerment of people. His timeless ideals are the only effective instrument to tackle the challenges confronting the world,” the LG said.
The LG applauded the inspirational journey undertaken by more than 27,000 students during the ‘Shanti Yatra’ to pay homage to Bapu and his ideas and ideals.
“Bapu’s life teaches us that the spirit of dedication and purity of means, can not only ensure independence but the society can also be made prosperous,” the LG said.
“Efforts are being made to create J&K of Bapu’s dreams. The voices being raised against violence from every corner of J&K and huge participation of people in ‘Shanti Yatra’ is a testament that the teaching of peace and inclusive development of Mahatma Gandhi have turned into a ‘Jan-Andolan’,” he said.
The LG urged every section of the society, especially the youth to imbibe wisdom from the valued teachings of the Father of the Nation and strive to build a peaceful, inclusive and equitable society.
“Each and every precious word of Bapu acts as an institution. What you will learn from his philosophy of life is not available anywhere else. Only the precious treasure of Bapu’s ideals will be able to guide you in nation building and it will empower you to protect the social interests,” he said.
“The lifelong campaigns of Pujya Bapu and his philosophy of truth, non-violence, selfless service, sacrifice, love and tolerance must continue to guide all the citizens to achieve the golden future of Jammu Kashmir,” the LG added.
The LG also commended the artists and students for depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi through their enthralling performances.
At the UT-level event, the LG honored the eminent Gandhians from across the country for their extraordinary contribution in promoting the teachings and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
He also interacted with the participants of the ‘Shanti Yatra’ and felicitated the students who have excelled in various competitions organized as a part of Gandhi Jayanti celebration.
On the occasion, the Gandhians including Padma Shri SP Varma; Ramesh Bhaiya; Laxmi Das; Dr Ranjana Mukhopadhyay, and Ashok Kapoor threw light on the lifelong campaigns of Mahatma Gandhi.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the LG; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, School Education; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to LG; Administrative Secretaries; senior officials; heads of educational institutions; students, teachers, youth and prominent citizens were present. Some educational Institutions from across the UT also joined through virtual mode, the release said.
