Srinagar, Oct 2: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the conduct of peaceful elections and recent development in Jammu and Kashmir is proof of the fact that the Union territory is now busy “creating a new history by forgetting its past.”
Addressing a function at Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Sinha said, Bapu always wanted to see peace and progress in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the new generation to take inspiration from the ideals of Bapu.
“The young generation has also understood this very well and therefore they do not have tools of destruction like guns and stones in their hands, but dreams of peace and aspirations are visible in their eyes.”
“The great festival of democracy concluded in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. First, the Lok Sabha elections were held in May and the assembly elections were conducted peacefully and in a free and fair manner. This has become the center of discussion not only in India but in the whole world,” Sinha said.
Referring to the huge participation of people in the assembly polls, the LG said 1.40 crore citizens of the Union territory have reiterated their faith in the constitutional values and have pledged to contribute to the development of the beautiful Jammu and Kashmir and the country through their voting.
“This in itself is proof of the fact that in the last four to five years, great success has been achieved in establishing a fear-free Jammu and Kashmir. Today, I would like to urge the young generation that we have to maintain the pace of peace and progress. We have to dedicate ourselves to selfless service,” he said.
The work done in the last five years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whether it is the empowerment of democracy at the grassroots level the conduct of peaceful elections, or development work, is proof of the fact that “J-K is now busy creating a new history by forgetting its past”.
Lakhs of youth have started businesses in the last few years, thousands of youth are running their start-ups, and one-third of these start-ups are led by our daughters. Schools are functional throughout the year, he said.
Sinha said attempts are being made to mislead some youth, but “I want to tell them that society always disintegrates due to violence”.
Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the Lt Governor said the leadership, ideals, and values of Bapu have inspired the entire country to come together for the cause of independence and build a nation that will make a lasting contribution to peace and progress of the world.
Observing that Gandhiji’s ideals of truth, non-violence, compassion, and kindness present the solutions to all the challenges before the tumultuous world, the Lt Governor called upon the people to spread Bapu’s vision all over the world to make this planet a peaceful and a better place.
“Bapu dreamed that India would become a ray of hope for humanity and would be a peaceful, self-reliant, and developed nation. The responsibility of fulfilling these dreams rests on 140 crore Indians and the younger generation will have to play a bigger role in this journey,” the Lt Governor said.
Highlighting the transformational work done in the last five years in J&K, the Lt Governor said, that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, empowerment of grassroots democracy and violence-free elections is a testament that Jammu Kashmir is shedding the past and creating a new future.
He said the young generation in J&K now understand the importance of peace and democratic values and hence today they do not have tools of destruction in their hands but instruments of creation. “Our youth are determined to follow the path of truth and non-violence and to build a prosperous society,” he said.
The Lt Governor also appreciated the School Education Department and students from schools across J&K for their cleanliness endeavors like adopting a local water body, local park, or a local heritage site to undertake a cleanliness drive twice every month, as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi.
He urged the people, especially the youth to identify one place in all the cities and villages and dedicate one day of the month to activities like cleanliness drives and Shramdaan.
The Lt Governor also appealed to all sections of the society to take inspiration from Bapu’s life and work towards public welfare.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor felicitated the students who have excelled in various competitions as a part of the Gandhi Jayanti celebration.
The event also featured the enthralling performances from Artists and Students depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
Sh Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of School Education & Department of Higher Education; senior officials; heads of educational institutions; students, teachers, youth, and prominent citizens from across the UT joined the celebration, in person and through virtual mode.
