By Our Correspondent
SAMBALPUR:Our state Odisha will complete 100 years of the formation of a separate province on the basis of language in 2036. By 2047, our country will complete 100 years of independence. Our ancestors had earlier fought for Swaraj, but now we have to fight for prosperity. Therefore, within this important period of 10 to 22 years, we will have to take one step forward for ‘Developed Sambalpur’, ‘Developed Odisha’ and ‘Developed India’, said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
On Tuesday, Shri Pradhan joined the ‘Ekta Padayatra’ organized in Sambalpur on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ji, the great symbol of India’s unity and integrity. The walk started from the Reserve Police Station to the Women’s College Station, in which the enthusiasm and dedication towards the ideals of Sardar Patel was seen. Addressing a public meeting after the walk, Shri Pradhan said, while we pay homage to the unity of Sardar Patel, at the same time we should not forget our responsibility for the future of our Sambalpur and Odisha. Shri Pradhan appealed to the people and said that in accordance with Gandhiji’s thoughts, we will take more responsibility to make Sambalpur a clean and healthy environment. In rural areas, we will take one step forward to take care of all children, starting from newborns, by prioritizing nutrition. We will promote sports here and develop sports infrastructure. He appealed to everyone to work towards increasing the courage, self-respect and self-reliance of the approximately 2 lakh families living in Sambalpur.
He said, this ‘Ekta Padyatra’ organized in the memory of Sardar Patelji is a living demonstration of unity, equality and social harmony of our country. It reminds us of his hard work, dedication and unparalleled contribution to building an integrated India. He further said that it is because of Sardar Patel’s boundless courage, indomitable political will and decisive leadership that our country is moving forward on the path of development today. By installing the world’s tallest statue of Patelji, the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat, the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has paid his highest tribute to this great man on behalf of the nation. This Statue of Unity is a symbol of pride, unity, peace and gratitude. He said that we must remember all these things on the eve of ‘Constitution Day’. In his speech, the Union Minister recalled the great contribution of many Barputras like Bamanda King Sir Basudeb Sudhaldev, ‘Svabhav Kavi Gangadhar Meher’ in the formation of an Odisha language-based state.
During the Ekta Padayatra, Shri Pradhan paid tribute to the brave martyrs at the statue of Odisha’s brave freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai at Jail Chack and at the martyr’s pillar at Nelson Mandela Chack. Apart from this, Odisha Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Shri Ravi Narayan Nayak, Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Shri Suryavansi Suraj, Sambalpur MLA Shri Jai Narayan Mishra were prominently present in this program. Students, youth, volunteers, intellectuals and members of other social organizations also participated in it and made the Padayatra a success.
