The Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, inaugurated the “Amrit Samagam”, a conference of tourism and culture ministers of the country, held in New Delhi today. On this occasion, the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North East Region, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi and Minister of State for Defense and Tourism, Shri Ajay Bhatt were present among many dignitaries.
In his address on the occasion, the Union Home Minister said that perhaps after a generation, such a time comes in someone’s destiny that we can celebrate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. We are all fortunate that in the year of the Amrit Mahotsav, we all have some duty with which we all have been privileged of being associated with. The nation has had many achievements in the 75 years since Independence and we have been successful in placing India amongst the top nations. We have created many records in all fields with joint efforts, we have been successful in preserving and promoting our history and culture. In the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had envisioned its national celebration and that it should be a multi-purpose celebration.
Shri Amit Shah said that through the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, our new generation should get information about the sacrifices and resilience of the people who fought for the freedom struggle for 90 years from 1857 to 1947, they should be glorified. Along with this, the Prime Minister has decided to celebrate the period of 25 years from Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to the Centenary year of independence as Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal. This next 25 years is a period for collective efforts of 130 crore people of India and to see India at the top of the world, the Prime Minister has called this period as Amrit Kaal. Along with this, he has also decided to celebrate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav as Sankalp Varsh and has called upon the people of the country that in the year of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we should personally take some resolution, which will help India. Gram Panchayats, Parliament and all government departments should work for the country’s progress, as the 25 years of Amrit Kaal is a period to fulfil this resolve for progress.
The Union Home Minister said that On March 12, 2021, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi began Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav from Kashi Gandhi Ashram, thereafter more than 25,000 programs have been organized across the country. In this period, due to the second and third wave of Covid-19, difficult situation had arisen and many programs had to be done in hybrid mode and due to this public participation could not be as much as it should have been. But now that the country is coming out of the grip of Covid-19, in this remaining time we should celebrate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with public participation. During this two-day conference, we have to decide how every village, tehsil, district and state should participate in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and for this, to create programs and make them successful.
Shri Amit Shah said that Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is envisioned to be celebrated in five categories – Freedom Struggle, Idea @75, Achievements @75, Action @75 and Resolve @75. In these five categories, we should plan for the upcoming times. I would like to request all the State’s ministers and officials to ensure that in this effort, the share of every village and state is increased, ensure mass participation especially the youth, their energy will be useful in taking India to the top in the Centenary year of our Independence. The nation which will live on, should move forward and the Prime Minister with his great vision for the country, has conceptualizes this Sankalp Yatra, and each one of us, rising above party politics, should take part in the Sankalp Yatra to make it a success.
The Union Home Minister said that the freedom struggle was fought against the British in many ways and the independence struggle from 1857 to 1947 should once again awaken the minds of the upcoming generation. History alone cannot give this information to the younger generation. Many incidents and characters of brave heroes will have to be brought alive on their psyche, then they will associate themselves with the struggle for freedom. If the youngest associate themselves with the freedom struggle, then their life will have been devoted to national development, this is a golden opportunity to make the young generation aware about the freedom struggle and connect this with the country. That is why this is a great opportunity to create such a new generation to inculcate the spirit of patriotism in the mind of this new generation and on the basis of that they will continue to work for the whole life for the country. For this, the Prime Minister of the country has urged all of us to celebrate the Amrit Mahotsav with wide public participation. Be it the program of national anthem, program of making Rangoli, programs of research and compilation on the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle, be it my village, my heritage program. Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar is one such program with the aim to build 6.5 lakh virtual museums across the nation, which would be linked with all districts.
Shri Amit Shah said that many such programs have taken place. Postcards were written to the Prime Minister, Swatantra Swar in which the poems banned by the British were compiled, Vande Bharat dance festival took place, there was a program to commemorate the first freedom struggle of 1857, all these programs have awakened consciousness. From now upto the end of the program, we have to work to increase public awareness and public participation. Altogether 25,000 programs were conducted in a year but 7,200 programs were conducted in the States and Union Territories. This number will have to be increased and we will have to make the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav a success from the point of view of the entire government.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in the coming days, programmes such as Har Ghar Jhanda, International Yoga Day, Digital District Repository, Swatantra Swar and Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar will ensure public participation. Har Ghar Jhanda program cannot be successful without the participation of State Governments and Panchayat, Municipal Corporation, Zilla Panchayat, Tehsil Panchayat. It cannot be successful without the participation of every school and we have to take it forward. I request everyone to spread information about programmes such as Har Ghar Jhanda, International Yoga Day, Digital District Repository, Swatantra Swar and Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar – so that they are successful in the States. The identity of the places associated with the freedom movement should be made available afresh, there is not a single village which did nothing for the freedom movement, there is not a single district where no major incident took place. Can we revive those incidents, their memory, can we make programme to take school children to the homes of freedom fighters, their villages? I believe that by doing this a wonderful patriotism will be awakened and children and our new generation will be associated with it. Colleges should also be taken aboard and by making a capsule of 75 colleges all the memorial sites associated with the freedom struggle across the country should be glorified and revive them again on the memory of the people. We will benefit a lot by doing such programs.
Shri Amit Shah said that many people have also served the country through journalism in the freedom struggle. If we take along the students of journalism on the role of journalism in the freedom struggle, then a lot of work can be done. People interested in theatrical and music were connected at that time to the freedom struggle and an attempt was made to connect many people with the freedom movement using art, we should take this forward. A new consciousness should be awakened by involving the students of fine arts as well. He said that Prime Minister Modi has laid more emphasis on paying homage to all the freedom fighters of the freedom movement and reviving their memory. It is expected from the Culture Ministers and Tourism Ministers of the states present here today, that they should try to bring this subject to the bottom in their respective states. Resolution is the soul of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Union Home Minister said that if 130 crore citizens take even a small individual resolution, a huge energy can be created. If 130 crore citizens resolve on behalf of Dalits, the poor, those with poor literacy living in villages, this collective contribution of 130 crore resolutions can be a huge step to make the nation great. This does not look much significant, but if 130 crore people do it, then its power will be huge and I believe that the Amrit Mahotsav, the time of the Amrit period and the centenary year of freedom, is the time to make India great, take India to top position in the world and it is time to be make India a ‘Vishwa Guru’. This is what Prime Minister Modi has expected from all of us.
Shri Amit Shah said that during this two-day seminar, we should make some places in the states under the Amrit Mahotsav in such a way that they become centres of consciousness for people. Spread such resolutions which will inspire many people like I am educated and I will teach adult illiterates. He said that I am sure that you will make this type of action plan from here to make such resolutions which work to spread consciousness, patriotism and development. Once again I would like to request all of you that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has envisioned that this Amrit period from the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to the centenary year of independence, which is the time of fulfilling the resolutions, we all have the responsibility to get connected with this journey of making India great. The time of Covid-19 had come, by the grace of God and with the efforts of the Government of India and the State Governments, we have come out of it, now again we should carry forward this journey with a new energy.
