VIJAYAWADA: Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and others paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries, here on Monday. The Governor paid rich tributes by offering flowers to their portraits at a programme held in Durbar Hall at Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada.
Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Nazeer said that Gandhi Jayanti is observed all over the world as the ‘International day of non-violence’ as Mahatma Gandhi fought against the mighty British rule with the weapons of non-violence and satyagraha and won freedom for the country, which has no parallel in the history of the world. The Governor said Shastriji was a humble, soft-spoken but a strong leader, whose call, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, inspired the entire nation. Officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan have also attended the programme.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy offered tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Sastri at his residence. He posted on X, saying that Mahatma Gandhi is a huge inspiration and that his government draws inspiration from the latter, which focuses on welfare of people.
“Through village, ward secretariat system, we realised Gandhi’s dream of Gram Swaraj and will continue to pursue the same course in future,” he stated. On Shastri, Jagan said the former Prime Minister’s slogan of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan is an inspiration to all. “Revolutionary reforms by Shastri have put the country at top of the world,” he added.
YSRC party general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and others paid homage to Gandhi and Lal Bahadhur Shastri at the party headquarters. Speaking on the occasion, Sajjala opined that the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi—non violence, truth, patience—must be discussed, and practised by all before preaching them.
He asserted that Jagan has been making effort to implement Gandhiji’s teachings in practice as evident from village and ward secretariats. On the occasion, he took exception to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu observing fast on Gandhi Jayanthi in the Central jail, where he was lodged on charges of being principal conspirator in skill development corporation scam. Calling it a shameless act and an insult to Gandhiji, he said that looting public money and doing Satyagraha in jail is laughable.
Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan said Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King walked the path of Gandhi and became inspiration for all. “Gandhi and freedom struggle cannot be spoken differently. He remains inspiration to many. Today, there are several people in Andhra Pradesh who have adopted British policy of divide and rule. It can only be combated with truth and vote,” he said.