Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated an exhibition ‘Swachhagraha – Bapu Ko Karyanjali’ to mark the 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha at the national archives in New Delhi. Addressing a gathering after the inauguration, Mr Modi said, Mahatma Gandhi showed people through the Champaran Satyagraha that what a peaceful protest can achieve.
He said, this Satyagrah changed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi and added a new vigour to the freedom movement. He said, it is essential for people to know more about movements like the Champaran Satyagraha.
Speaking on Cleanliness, Mr Modi said, the aim of Satyagraha was independence and the aim of Swachhagraha is to create a clean India. Mr Modi said, Mahatma Gandhi attached more importance to cleanliness than freedom and Swachh Bharat Mission is an effort to fulfil the dream of Mahatma Gandhi of a clean India.
The Prime Minister said, people across the country have made Swachh Bharat Mission a people’s movement. He said, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Kerala have been declared Open Defecation Free and many states are moving towards this goal.
He said, along with Shradhanjali (tribute), people also have to dedicate Karyanjali (work) to Mahatma Gandhi and the means to do that is Swachhagraha. Mr Modi said, when Swachh Bharat Mission started, 42 per cent of the population was using toilet and now it has reached 63 per cent. He said, now all government schools have separate toilets for boys and girls.
On the occasion, Mr Modi also launched an online interactive quiz.
The exhibition is showcasing Champaran Satyagraha and it will connect essential principles of Satyagraha with Swachhagraha. The exhibition will also showcase the ground covered by Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat Mission in creating a mass movement towards a clean India.
In the exhibition a special section has also been set up through which the history of the movement will be narrated and displayed digitally. Another section ‘Swachhagraha The way forward’ has also been setup at the event. AMN
