By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: The 108th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi remembered as a symbol of iron will and a leader deeply ingrained in the nation’s collective consciousness was marked in Bhopal on Tuesday with the launch of the “Samyak Abhiyan – Indira Jyoti” and “Chalें Ramrajya Ki Ore” initiatives. The programmes were inaugurated at the open-air auditorium of Ravindra Bhavan, where All India Congress Committee (AICC) Media Department Chairperson Pawan Khera lit the ceremonial lamp and flagged off the campaign.
The event witnessed the presence of several senior Congress figures, including former MPCC presidents Kantilal Bhuria and Arun Yadav, MLA Arif Masood, Adivasi Congress national president Vikrant Bhuria, former MPs Surendra Singh and Rajmani Patel, former minister Mukesh Nayak, Spokesperson Abhinav Baroliya, Sherayar Khan, and veteran leader Rajendra Mishra. Programme coordinator Bhaskar Rokde, Samyak Abhiyan in-charge Shailendra Srivastava, and leaders Sanjay Kamle, Praveen Saxena and Yogesh Yadav were also in attendance.
Among the party’s spokespersons and office-bearers present were Bhupendra Gupta, Ravi Saxena, Avneesh Bundela, Anand Jaat, Praveen Dhaulpuriya, Vikram Chaudhary and SC Department state president Pradeep Parmar. A large gathering of party workers marked the occasion with enthusiasm and reverence.
The “Chalें Ramrajya Ki Ore” campaign, organisers stated, aims to reflect an inclusive vision of governance rooted in justice, equality, compassion and sensitivity. A core committee representing all sections of society has been constituted to guide the initiative, which emphasises ensuring the participation and upliftment of farmers, labourers, youth, women, and marginalised communities.
Launching the campaign under the Samyak Abhiyan, Pawan Khera urged that such ideological and public awareness programmes should be organised not only in Madhya Pradesh but across the country. Honouring national icons, preserving their legacy, and carrying forward their values, he said, was a shared responsibility.
Recalling an anecdote from Indira Gandhi’s childhood, Khera narrated how a five-year-old Indira chose to burn her favourite foreign doll during the Swadeshi movement after learning it was not made in India. The incident, he said, reflected the innate spirit of sacrifice and patriotism that shaped her life. This resolve, he added, continues to inspire generations to face challenges with courage and commitment.
