India needs to fight communalism: Pranab

NDA LEADERS SKIP CHAMPARAN SATYAGRAHA CENTENARY EVENT

NDA LEADERS skipped an event organised by the Bihar government on Monday as part of its Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations.

Among the leaders who attended were AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

President Pranab Mukherjee, who was the chief guest at the function to felicitate freedom fighters from across the country, said that India needed to “fight communalism, sectarianism and prejudices”.

“To keep India united, we must celebrate its diversity. Something precious in the Indian psyche, which keeps the people together,” he said.

“Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations needed to be observed because we should know our roots and know how and from where we have come this far... Champaran Satyagraha was the laboratory of the Indian freedom movement,” he added.

Nitish said that stories of Gandhi would be told to students after school prayers. “We have already enforced prohibition. We will now fight dowry and child marriage,” he said.

Lalu said the Grand Alliance was formed in Bihar to “uphold Gandhi’s dream to keep communities united”.

Rahulsaidthefreedommovement was fought not by Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs but by Indians. In a veiled attack on the BJP, he said: “There could be a difference between power and truth. The truth may not always be on the side of those in power... The only meaning of Hindu religion is to protect the truth... Those in power must not spread hatred and bully people, for the country cannot agree to this.”

With NDA leaders including former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi giving the event a miss, and the organisers having to remove their nameplates at the last moment. the political overtones were evident.