ANAND (Guj), Dec 14: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s “suggestion” to disband the “Congress as a platform” after India attained independence from the British in 1947.
Naidu also said everybody celebrated the Supreme Court’s unanimous verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, clearing the decks for the construction of a Ram temple.
The vice president was speaking as the chief guest to mark the 40th Foundation Day of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) on the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) campus.
“Mahatma Gandhi gave two suggestions after
Independence. First, he asked for the closure of the Congress as a platform. I am telling you for your information that the Congress was primarily a movement of people of different ideologies,” he said.
The vice president recalled that people had gathered under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Tilak with the goal to achieve independence.
“They came together and fought for independence. When independence was achieved, that work (struggle) was finished and there was no need for any discussion,” Naidu said.
He said Mahatma Gandhi’s “second suggestion” to go back to villages is unfortunately forgotten. “We have (instead) shown our backs to villages,” he added.
The vice president said the Ayodhya verdict was celebrated by people.
“People are happy over a meaningful solution (to the Ayodhya dispute)…because we have put an end to these things behind and moved on. The solution has been welcomed by one and all,” he said.
Delivering a historic verdict on November 9, the top court backed the construction of a Ram temple by a government trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque in the Hindu holy town.
Naidu also recalled the contribution made by Verghese Kurien, who is known as the Father of White Revolution.
Kurien had also played a crucial role in finding IRMA and NDDB.
“I salute his memory, foresight, and the initiatives he had taken. And the result is for us to see. The regions where this Amul movement reached are developed and other areas are comparatively less developed. It’s not only a beautiful but also a dutiful place. When you combine beauty with duty, it becomes multi (sic).
“It was here that white revolution was conceptualised and implemented. Thanks to the nurturing efforts of Dr Kurien and his team, including dairy farmers, India is today the world’s largest producer of milk,” Naidu said.
The vice president also visited the native house of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel- the first Home minister of India-who was born in the nearby village of Karamsad.
Naidu also recalled former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s initiative to build rural roads, and said the next phase of the movement to provide clean drinking water and toilets was undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The government has now decided to construct the third phase of rural roads under which roads (with the length of) 1.2 lakh kms will be constructed and developed. By 2024, every village and villagers will get drinking water,” he said, adding that more than 8 crore LPG gas connections weremade available under the Ujjawala Yojana.
The vice president also highlighted the need for water conservation. (PTI)
“Water crisis is possible in the coming days. In fact it can be seen even now, but we are not paying much attention to it. Joining rivers, cleaning them, conserving lakes, and reducing, reusing and recycling water is a vital mantra,” he said. (PTI)
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