BHUBANESWAR: Almost three years after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gave a call for inclusion of Ahimsa (non-violence) in the preamble of the Indian Constitution, the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday passed a unanimous resolution in this regard.
The resolution was passed on a day when the State is celebrating the centenary of first visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Odisha on March 23, 1921.
The Assembly had a three hour special discussion on Gandhiji’s visit to the State to mark the occasion.
Participating in the discussion, the Chief Minister said that during his visits to Odisha, Gandhiji extensively travelled in different parts of the State and interacted with cross sections of people.
Besides, he participated in many padayatras through which he became very close to the people. His visits created greater awareness about various social issues apart from energising the freedom movement.
Stating that these are no ordinary times as we battle the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chief Minister said the world has been strongly reminded that no bubbles of wealth and growth matter if large sections of the population live in poverty and vulnerability.