New India self-reliant: Kataria
Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria today gave a passionate message of patriotism, national unity and cultural dignity at the state-level ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ programme at Tagore Theatre.
Kataria, who was chief guest at the programme, said, “Today’s India is not the one that once suffered silently. This is the new India — self-reliant, aware and self-respecting, which responded to cowardly terrorist attacks, like Pahalgam, with unity and emerged as a decisive power before the world.”
The programme started with a grand handicraft exhibition organised by the Department of Social Justice, Department of Culture and Department of School Education, which transformed the Tagore Theatre complex into a visual form of ‘Developed India’. A glimpse of culture, handicrafts and folk art of various states gave a concrete form to the soul of the country. Apart from this, the presentations given by the students filled the stage with the energy of patriotism.
Kataria said the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign was not just a symbolic movement, but had become a powerful campaign of patriotism, public participation and national consciousness. He said “the Tricolour is a symbol of our identity, ideals and self-respect”. Recalling the great heroes of India’s freedom struggle, the Governor said, “India’s independence is a glorious history written in blood from the spark lit by Mangal Pandey in 1857 to complete independence in 1947.”
Recalling the contribution of Madanlal Dhingra, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi and Veer Savarkar, he said their sacrifices gave India back its identity. He particularly described the land of Punjab as the pioneer of the freedom struggle and recalled the pain of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The Governor said the tragedy of Partition taught them that unity, brotherhood and tolerance were our greatest strengths. He described the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign as an effort to re-establish this national spirit.
He said now the time had come that every citizen should hoist the Tricolour not only on roofs but in their thoughts, behaviour and actions. “True patriotism is that which is manifested through our actions,” Kataria said.
Praising schools of Chandigarh, the Governor said teachers and students here were playing a leading role not only in acquiring knowledge but also in value-building and strengthening the spirit of patriotism.
He added that today’s event is not only cultural programme, but a medium to ignite the consciousness of nation building.
Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, Home Secretary Mandeep Brar, Education Secretary Prerna Puri, Director General of Police Sagar Preet Hooda, Director of Cultural Affairs Saurabh Arora, Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra and officers of the UT Administration were also present on the occasion.
Chandigarh