Gandhi & Sashtri Jayanti celebrated at Gandhi Park, Rayagada
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Violence & counter violence are cyclic whereas non-violence yearns peace & prosperity
Rayagada, October 2: The whole world is observing this day a day of non-violence, which is one of the eleven vows professed by Gandhi. With huge participation of students, teachers, MLAs, Municipality Chairman & Councillors, Zilla Parishad Chairperson, press reporters and senior citizens, who made a human chain for peace, a rally went through the main road of Rayagada town and culminated in Gandhi Park. Statues of Gandhi, Sashtri, Gopabandhu and Vinoba Bhave were garlanded by Minister Jagannath Saraka, MLA Makaranda Muduli, Municipality Charman Mahesh pattanayak, Zilla Parishad Charman Saraswati Majhi, EX MP N Bhaskar rao, Ex-Minister Lal Bihari Himirika & others.
Prayers from inter-religious scriptures namely Gita, Quoran, Bible & Guruvani were recited to pay tribute to yet another vow of Mahatma Gandhi. “Gandhi did not claim himself as Bapu or Mahatma. While Subas Chandra Bose believing in a different ideology termed Gandhi as “Bapu or Father of the Nation”, Rabindra Nath Tagore called him Mahatma. Both of them were critiques and admirers of Gandhi. The present day youth, who is slowly getting disconnected from Gandhian values, must question and reflect the reasons of terming Gandhi as Mahatma and Father of nation”, said Dr Prof Dushmant Mohanty, chief speaker on the occasion.
Joining as an honourable speaker Dr Badal Tah reminisced the state wide Peace March taken up by Dr Ratan Das, Shanti Devi, Jayaram Jena, Er Dayanidhi sahu, Rabi Mohanty, Hansaraj Mishra, who have achieved heavenly abode. The March’s, joined by many other Gandhians, primary purpose was to give a clarion call to cease violence by ultr-lefts & counter-violence by the state & engage in dialogues for peace. Our religious scriptures are our history which depict that Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Goutam Buddha, Mahaveer Jain, Guru Nanak, Hazrat Mohammed, Jesus Christ existed as human beings & so also Gandhi. He is thus considered as a God with his vows, principles and philosophies. Let us be Gandhi Premi if we can not become Gandhi Badi; so untouchability should also not be defined by one’s dress or food. We need to unfold the principles of Gandhi and take more and more youth to the fold of Gandhian principle, said Tah.
Minister Jagannath Saraka told that violence & counter violence are a cyclic process. Non-violence will lead to peace and prosperity in the society. MLA Makaranda Muduli said that truth did not need any support to self sustain itself. It is the other side of non-violence and confidence. A mind without fear can only be progressive.
High School students, who won competition in elocution, essay writing, etc on the life of Gandhiji, Sashtriji, truth & non-violence, were awarded by the Minister & MLA. The entire programme was coordinated by DIPRO Basanta Pradhan and his colleagues.
