IMPHAL, Aug 20: A unique mass signing of signature by the various levels of officials and the ministers led by chief minister O Ibobi Singh to maintain a unified struggle of oneness marked the celebration of Sadbhavana Diwas, the 66th birth anniversary of former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.
The observation of Sadbhavana Diwas was held at the Old Secretariat conference room with the chief minister as the chief guest and also attended by his Cabinet colleagues and high ranking officials of the state secretariat administrative departments along with officials of the state police department this morning.
While observing the function today, the chief minister O Ibobi expressed the need for responsibility of various social leaders, people’s representatives and officials concerned while maintaining a oneness by delivering a uniform distribution in terms of developmental activities in both the hills and the valley districts of the state.
The chief minister further said that the differences among the various communities settling in the hills and valley districts were caused by the accumulated strategies of the past governments in the state. This system of discrimination existing in the state has been already eliminated with the appearance of the Congress-led government since the last eight years in the state. The objective of maintaining oneness as per the will of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi is still respected throughout the country including Manipur till today, he added.
The chief minister finally called for unity in diversity in the state of Manipur and said it has become a must for every dutiful officer committed to the philosophy of oneness to protect the entire territorial integrity of India.
Soon after delivering his speech the officials of the state including various levels of security forces took a oath for the preservation of the territorial integrity of the country and for the welfare of the entire people of the nation.
A similar observation was held at the Congress Bhavan at BT Road in Imphal during which the chief minister O Ibobi along with this Cabinet colleagues, Congress MLAs and the working committees of the Congress paid floral tributes to the portrait of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at the Congress Bhavan.
Later the president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MLA Gaikhangam flagged off a peace rally starting from the MPCC complex towards Kangla Park and Khoyathong Road during which the peace rally was joined by the Deputy Speaker N Lokeshwor, MLA Kh Ratankumar and M Prithiviraj, MLA and MPCC Youth president.
The silent peace rally finally converged at the MPCC office at BT Road this afternoon during which the MPCC president Gaikhangam expressed the objective of the observation of the day, which is maintenance of oneness in a democratic form of government which is a necessity for bringing unity in diversity in a multi-ethnic country like India. It is because of this reason that such observations are held on this day in remembrance of the former prime minister, he said.
In the meantime, MLA Prithiviraj in his speech to the gathering called for an immediate need for solidarity in the existing state for the welfare of the state. The Congress-led SPF government has taken up many developmental activities to uplift the various communities without any discrimination till today, he said.