SHILLONG: Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated throughout the country to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who was born on October 2, 1869.
It is celebrated annually and it is one of the three national holidays in India.
This year, Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated across the state with pomp and decor, with many districts organising various programmes to commemorate the occasion.
As per the directive of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) observed the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in the city on Wednesday in the presence of Victor Keishing, AICC secretary incharge Meghalaya, Celestine Lyngdoh, MPCC president and James S Lyngdoh, MPCC working president, party MLAs, MDCs, MPCC office bearers, DCC/BCC presidents, members and chiefs of the frontal organisations and cell departments of the party.
The programme started with a garlanding of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi within the premises of the Meghalaya Main Secretariat and the offering of flowers at the feet of the statue.
This was followed by a silent march for peace (Padyatra) from the Meghalaya Main Secretariat to the Congress Bhawan was led by Celestine Lyngdoh, Victor Keishing and James S Lyngdoh.
A meeting on ‘values, ideals and relevance of Mahatma Gandhi today’ was held at Congress Bhawan and was chaired by Celestine Lyngdoh who spoke on the ideals and principles of Mahatma Gandhi.
Meanwhile, Victor Keishing felt that Gandhi would have cried in sorrow to see the situation in the country today.
He observed that while Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals and principles had been followed by Martin Luther, Nelson Mandela and others in letter and spirit, the country waved a silent good bye to his beliefs.
“Intolerance and division of the society on religious line had become the order of the day,” he said.
Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie expressed his sadness in knowing that religious division of the society had become the order of the day and exhorted the gathering to follow in the footsteps of the ‘Father of the Nation.
While paying tribute to Gandhi, James S Lyngdoh said, “It is Mahatma Gandhi and only Mahatma Gandhi, who continues to be the Father of the Nation and is more relevant to India today”.
