CM announces Gandhian thought, Bahadur Shah Zafar awards
KT NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, Feb 26 : "All those who have real love for people and believe in restoring peace and the past glory of Jammu and Kashmir should follow the footsteps of Gandhiji by speaking truth and remain steadfast on principles of secularism and communal harmony and fight strongly against divisive forces, terror, communal, castiest and racist elements", said Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad while addressing annual day-cum-prize distribution function of Government College for Women Parade here today.
He was accompanied by Minister for Health and Medical Education Mangat Ram Sharma.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were MLC Mrs.
Farida Mir, Principal Secretary Higher Education A.
Angurana, Director Colleges Dr.
Wani, principals of various colleges, former principals, college teachers, staff, students and prominent citizens.
Chief Minister announced four prizes worth Rs.
2 lakh to students who will excel in a state level symposium on Gandhian thought to be presented on October 2 this year.
He also announced Bahadurshah Zaffar awards, who was among the top patriots who launched freedom struggle against British rule.
He said 150th anniversary of first war of independence of India in 1857 is being celebrated this year under the committee headed by Prime Minister Dr.
Chief Minister said that very few people know among the new generation that three princes of Bahadurshah Zaffar were slained by Britishers and he himself was exiled and imprisoned in Rangoon.
Azad complimented five students of the college who have got their placement in Infosys with an initial salary package of Rs.
He said, he is a strong believer of the fact that Jammu and Kashmir was an ideal hub for information technology and the IT experts world over had an eye on pollution free atmosphere of the state particularly the valley where IT industry could have been flourishing better than Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad or any part of the world.
He said it was unfortunate that gun culture was introduced and world over lovable and famous valley of Kashmir was defamed.
He, however, complimented the determination and high caliber of students of Jammu and Kashmir who resisted all onslaughts of turmoil and continued their pursuit to attain new heights in education and technological fields but unfortunately they have to serve in other parts because their state inspite of capabilities and potential of being hi-tech was deprived of the same by perpetrators of violence.
Chief Minister said that time has come for new generation to understand the great value of Gandhian philosophy abhorring all kinds of violence and hatred.
He advised students to see films like Munnabhai lage raho in which relationship between Gandhiji and new generation has been shown in an excellent manner.