Bhubaneswar: On the solemn occasion of Gandhi Jayanti today, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called upon the people to join hands to make India strong with the message of peace, non-violence, and brotherhood.
Gandhi Jayanti has a special significance this year. This time, it is being commemorated in the 75th year of Independence. On this occasion, there was a celebration of peace, non-violence, and freedom at Lok Seva Bhawan.
Chief Minister Patnaik today planted a peepal tree on the premises of Lok Seva Bhawan and coined the term ‘Freedom Tree’ for it. He laid the sacred soil and water collected from different places of the state and planted the freedom tree.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the tree will be a messenger of peace, freedom, and non-violence for all of us. He called upon the people to join hands to make India strong with the message of peace, non-violence, and brotherhood.
He further added that the peepal tree signifies knowledge, enlightenment, happiness, and auspiciousness. Since ages, it continues to represent the collective conscience of a pan-Indian cultural heritage. From the ancient Indus Valley civilization to the sacred pages of Bhagwat Geeta to the enlightenment of Lord Budhha, the Chief Minister said, the peepal tree has always been an inseparable part of our socio-cultural life. “The saga of peepal belongs to our past, our present, and our future too. It is the epitome of our intellectual and moral freedom,” he emphasized.
On the occasion, veteran freedom fighter and the President of State Freedom Fighters’ Association, Nilamani Samal, presented a Charkha to the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister honoured him by presenting a shawl.
The Ahimsa Rath, which was moving all across the State disseminating the message of peace and non-violence, reached the Lok Seva Bhawan today. Welcoming the Rath, the Chief Minister thanked all for the kind response received by the people of the State.
The Chief Minister released special editions of Utkal Prasang and Odisha Review. He also released a special commemorative publication on the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Odisha. Ministers, top officers, and dignitaries were present on the occasion.
