ਪਿਆਰੇ ਦੋਸਤੋ,

ਅਹਿਮਦਾਬਾਦ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋਈ ਸਦਭਾਵਨਾ ਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਮਕ ਯਾਤਰਾ 36 ਉਪਵਾਸਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਾਲਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਪਾਵਨ ਅੰਬਾਜੀ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਪੀਠ ਵਿਖੇ ਸੰਪੰਨ ਹੋਈ।

ਵਿਅਕਤੀਗਤ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ, ਗੁਜਰਾਤ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਦਿਨ ਦਾ ਉਪਵਾਸ ਰੱਖਣ ਦਾ ਅਨੁਭਵ ਅਸਾਧਾਰਣ ਸੀ।

Sadbhavana Mission : A touching People’s Movement

We can calculate people’s support at the time of election through ballot boxes but they are not sufficient to assess the intensity of people’s emotions. During the Sadbhavana fasts, I was overwhelmed to personally witness the deep bond that all Gujaratis share with each other. The pride and satisfaction of an election victory dwarfs in comparison to the fulfillment of seeing people treat each other with utmost respect and deep regard.

I am used to being told repeatedly by elders and peers about the philosophy of Janta Janardhan (People are God) but have seldom seen it being put to practice anywhere. Sadbhavana Mission provided me the fortune of witnessing this.

I fall drastically short of words to explain the powerful experience of seeing the poor and the rich, the old and the young, the educated and the uneducated classes come together without any inhibitions during the Sadbhavana Mission.

After completion of the 36 Sadbhavana fasts, the country and the world have to take note of the fact that Gujarat’s atmosphere of unity, peace and brotherhood is the main reason behind our rapid progress.

On one hand, we have our nation being dominated by the poison of caste, religion based vote-bank politics that has deeply disappointed and broken the trust of every Indian. The “Divide and Rule” philosophy adopted by the Centre has caused irreparable damage to the image of our great nation.

On the other hand Gujarat has adopted the path of peace, unity and brotherhood. Gujarat has shunned vote-bank politics and adopted the politics of development. ‘Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth’ has replaced the age-old divisive practice of ‘Divide and Rule’.

Gujarat’s present decade has presented a model of development based on Sadbhavana and progress and our successful experiment in the form of the Sadbhavana Mission has given a new ray of hope to our countrymen who are immersed in deep disappointment.

It is often difficult for one to understand the good motives behind such noble initiatives as there is a tendency of some to see these public events from just a political perspective.

There were a host of incidents that touched my heart during the Sadbhavana Mission. I am at a loss of words to express my heartfelt gratitude for the phenomenal love and support extended by the people. However, I feel you would certainly like to know certain details which will acquaint you with the scope and depth of Sadbhavana Mission.

  • It was no small feat for a state that representatives from all states and well-wishers from many political parties were present at the Sadbhavana fast held at Ahmedabad from 17th-19th September, 2011.
  • At least one member from 70 to 75% of the families in Gujarat participated during the 36 Sadbhavana fasts.
  • The presence of over 50 lakh people from 18000 villages reflects the scale and public participation in the Sadbhavana Mission.
  • Shaking hands and personally meeting over 15 lakh people is perhaps a sort of record in the history of public life. But personally, to me it is a never-before kind of experience which deeply touched my heart.
  • It had been my personal decision to observe fasts. But thousands of my fellow citizens voluntarily observed fast with me. Over 4.5 lakh people including 1.5 lakh women observed fasts and gave moral support to the Sadbhavana Mission.
  • It is our culture to go for pilgrimage on foot. But during Sadbhavana Mission, hundreds of padyatras arrived to the venue of fast from various holy places. Over one lakh people, especially the youth joined the mission as padyatris
  • Sadbhavana Marches (Prabhat-Pheris) were organized in thousands of villages despite cold weather and saw a participation of over 16 lakh people, thus spreading the message of Sadbhavana across the state
  • Sadbhavana Mission energized the society to fight against malnutrition. As a result, about 40,000 Tithi Bhojans were organized in villages though which around 42 lakh poor children were provided with nutritious meals
  • With an intention to serve the poor, more than six lakh kgs of foodgrains were distributed to poor families in rural areas
  • Substantial sum of more than Rs. 4 Crore were donated to Kanya Kelavani Nidhi, which will promote girl child education in the state
  • Thousands of citizens pledged to contribute for the welfare of society. Youth and newlyweds denounced social evils like dowry and child infanticide and pledged to adopt Anganwadis
  • Thousands of drawing, elocution and essay writing competitions on the theme of Sadbhavana were held, which motivated around ten lakh children to participate and imbibe the spirit of peace, unity and brotherhood

Friends,

I don’t wish to assess the success of Sadbhavana Mission in mere numbers.

Sadbhavana Mission has reflected the inner strength of our social fabric and touched the hearts of people in every nook and corner of Gujarat.

It is this energy of six crore Gujaratis which has been the vital force behind Sadbhavana Mission.

It gives me immense satisfaction to see that my effort to show the nation and world the strength of Sadbhavana Mission has been successful.

Today, the blessings and well-wishes of lakhs of my fellow citizens received in support of my pledge have infused me with fresh vigor to serve my people.

Yours,

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December 25, 2024

Today, 25th December is a very special day for all of us. Our nation marks the 100th Jayanti of our beloved former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. He stands tall as a statesman who continues to inspire countless people.

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Our nation will always be grateful to Atal Ji for being the architect of India’s transition into the 21st century. When he took oath as PM in 1998 our nation had passed through a period of political instability. In about 9 years we had seen 4 Lok Sabha elections. The people of India were getting impatient and also sceptical about governments being able to deliver. It was Atal Ji who turned this tide by providing stable and effective governance. Coming from humble roots, he realised the struggles of the common citizen and the transformative power of effective governance.

One can see the long-term impact of Atal Ji’s leadership in so many sectors around us. His era marked a gigantic leap in the world of Information Technology, telecom and communications. This was particularly important for a nation like ours, which is also blessed with a very dynamic Yuva Shakti. The NDA Government under Atal Ji made the first serious attempt to make technology accessible to the common citizens. At the same time, there was foresight in connecting India. Even today, most people recall the Golden Quadrilateral Project, which connected the length and breadth of India. Equally notable were the Vajpayee Government’s efforts to enhance local connectivity as well through initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Similarly, his Government gave a push to metro connectivity by doing extensive work for the Delhi Metro, which stands out as a world-class infrastructure project. Thus, the Vajpayee Government not only boosted economic growth but also brought distant regions closer, fostering unity and integration.

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When it comes to the social sector, an initiative like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan highlights how Atal Ji dreamt of building an India where modern education is accessible to people across the nation, particularly for the poor and marginalised sections. At the same time, his government presided over many economic reforms which set the stage for India’s economic surge after several decades of following an economic philosophy which encouraged cronyism and stagnation.

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A wonderful example of Vajpayee Ji’s leadership can be seen in the summer of 1998. His Government had just assumed office and on 11th May, India conducted the Pokhran tests, known as Operation Shakti. These tests exemplified the prowess of India’s scientific community. The world was stunned that India had done the tests and expressed their anger in no uncertain terms. Any ordinary leader would have buckled, but Atal Ji was made differently. And what happened? India stood firm and resolute with the government calling for another set of tests two days later, on 13th May! If the tests of the 11th showed scientific skill, the ones on 13th showed true leadership. It was a message to the world that gone were the days when India would buckle under threats or pressure. Despite facing international sanctions, the then NDA government of Vajpayee Ji stood firm, articulating India’s right to safeguard its sovereignty while simultaneously being the strongest proponent of world peace.

Atal Ji understood Indian democracy and also the need to make it stronger. Atal Ji presided over the creation of the NDA, which redefined coalitions in Indian politics. He brought people together and made NDA a force for development, national progress and regional ambitions. His Parliamentary brilliance was seen throughout his political journey. He belonged to a party with a handful of MPs but his words were enough to rattle the might of the all-powerful Congress Party that time. As Prime Minister, he blunted the criticisms of the Opposition with style and substance. His was a career spent largely in the Opposition benches but never carried any trace of bitterness against anyone, even though the Congress stooped to new lows by going to the extent of calling him a traitor!

He was also not one to cling on to power through opportunistic means. He preferred to resign in 1996 instead of following the path of horse-trading and dirty politics. In 1999, his Government was defeated by 1 vote. A lot of people told him to challenge the immoral politics happening then but he preferred to go by the rules. Eventually, he came back with another resounding mandate from the people.

When it comes to commitment to protecting our Constitution too, Atal Ji stands tall. He was deeply impacted by the martyrdom of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Years later, he was a pillar of the anti-Emergency movement. In the run-up to the 1977 elections after the Emergency, he agreed to merger of his own Party (Jan Sangh) into the Janata Party. I am sure it would have been a painful decision but for him, and the others, but safeguarding the Constitution was all that mattered.

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It is also noteworthy how deeply rooted Atal Ji was in Indian culture. Upon becoming India’s External Affairs Minister, he became the first Indian leader to speak in Hindi at the United Nations. This one gesture showcased his immense pride in India's heritage and identity, leaving an indelible mark on the global stage.

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Atal Ji’s persona was magnetic and his life was enriched by his love for literature and expression. A prolific writer and poet, he used words to inspire, provoke thought, and even offer solace. His poetry, often reflective of his inner struggles and hopes for the nation, continues to resonate with people across age groups.

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For so many Bharatiya Janata Party Karyakartas like me, it is our privilege that we were able to learn and interact with a person like Atal Ji. His contribution to the BJP was foundational. In those days to spearhead an alternative narrative to the dominant Congress showed his greatness. Alongside stalwarts like Shri L.K. Advani Ji and Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi Ji he nurtured the party from its formative years, guiding it through challenges, setbacks and triumphs. Whenever the choice came between ideology and power, he always chose the former. He was able to convince the nation that an alternative world view from the Congress was possible and such a world view could deliver.

On his 100th Jayanti, let us rededicate ourselves to realising his ideals and fulfilling his vision for India. Let us strive to build an India that embodies his principles of good governance, unity, and progress. Atal Ji's unwavering belief in the potential of our nation continues to inspire us to aim higher and work harder.