By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr. Balram Jakhar has said that a nation that draws lessons from history could alone move ahead on the road to prosperity. He said that functions like “Jashne Jamhuriat” afford an occasion to remember the sacrifices made by our ancestors to win us freedom. He stressed the need for maintaining national unity and integrity and to attain socio-economic freedom in the true sense.
Dr. Jakhar expressed the above thoughts while addressing the “Jashne Jamhuriat” organized here on Independence Day on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that to acquaint the school students with the memorable songs that inspired the freedom fighters during the freedom struggle, their audio-cassettes would be played to them in schools. Special efforts would be made to apprise them of the important events of the freedom struggles in he state, especially in rural areas. This would help the younger generation get inspired to live and die for the nation, he added.
The Governor and the Chief Minister released 15 albums containing memorable songs of freedom struggle on the occasion. The Minister for Culture Laxamikant Sharma; noted singer Padmashri Hariharn and Secretary, Culture Manoj Shrivastava were also present. Hariharn kept the audience spell-bound by his soulful singing on the occasion. The audience included the Governor Dr. Balram Jakhar; Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife Mrs. Sadhna Singh.
Chouhan said that during freedom struggle patriotism consisted in sacrificing life for country’s freedom, but in independent India it consists in living for the nation. All the citizens should contribute their mite towards nation rebuilding by realizing and discharging their responsibilities and duties with utmost honesty. He related various inspiring events pertaining to the freedom fighters saying that they had indomitable courage and will power that led to freedom of the country. The British did not present the freedom on a platter, but uncountable freedom fighters made the supreme sacrifice for it.
The Chief Minister said that with a view to eliminating the distance between the people and the government the practice of giving guard of honour to the ministers on their arrival at the circuit houses would be done away with. It would also be ensured that there is no inconvenience to the people due to traffic jam on arrival of the VIPs, he added.
CM honours Parents of Kargil martyrs
Meanwhile, in an another programme Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan felicitated the parents of Major Ajay Prasad, a Kargil martyr; and Shaurya Chakra recipient Major Bholanath, who had exhibited exemplary courage and bravery in the 1971 war, by presenting them shawls and shriphal at a function “Ek Sham Azadi Ke Naam” organized by the Raj Group here on Wednesday.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included the chairman of Raj Group Arun Sahalot, chairman of Tourism Development Corporation Dhruvanarayan Singh, Bhopal Mayor Sunil Sood, chairman of Bhopal Development Authority Surendranath Singh and Chief Minister’s wife Mrs. Sadhna Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Chouhan paid tributes to the freedom fighters who had kissed the noose without any fear or hesitation. He related various events pertaining to Chandrashekhar Azad, Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah and others. The Chief Minister broke into singing “Mera Rang De Basanti Chola” and the entire audience joined him. ([email protected])