BJP chief Nitin Nabin, Uttarakhand CM Dhami take part in Ganga Aarti

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Rishikesh, May 29 (IANS) BJP President Nitin Nabin and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday took part in Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh. On the occasion, both leaders prayed for the happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health of the citizens.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, BJP President Nabin said that visiting the sacred banks of the Ganga river always brings a deeply spiritual and emotional experience. He stated that the Ganga is not merely a river, but a living stream of Indian culture, faith, and ‘Sanatan’ tradition, which has nourished the spiritual consciousness of the country for centuries.

He said: “India’s ‘tradition of saints’ has always guided the society during difficult and adverse times. Whenever the nation faced social, cultural, or ideological challenges, saints and sages provided new energy and direction to society through their penance, sacrifice, and wisdom.”

“India’s tradition of spirituality, culture, and moral values has remained alive in the hearts of people for centuries, and the seers have played a vital role in carrying this great legacy forward from generation to generation,” Nabin added.

The BJP chief further said that even today, India’s cultural strength and spiritual consciousness continue to attract the world. He described Uttarakhand as the soul of ‘Sanatan’ culture, from where spiritual inspiration flows to the entire country.

“Preserving the Ganga, saint traditions, and Indian culture is not only a religious responsibility but also a moral duty towards future generations,” he emphasised.

President and Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, welcomed Chief Minister Dhami and other guests and highlighted the messages of Ganga conservation, environmental protection, and service to humanity.

He said: “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is continuously reaching new heights globally, and decisions taken in the national interest have enhanced the country’s prestige worldwide.”

Describing Uttarakhand as the “land of divinity, discipline, and spiritual confluence”, Chidanand Saraswati praised Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for his work. He also highlighted the global significance of the Ganga and Indian culture.

The event was attended by Juna Akhara Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri, Niranjani Akhara Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Giri, Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad President Mahant Ravindra Puri, BJP MP Anil Baluni, Rajya Sabha MP and State BJP President Mahendra Bhatt, Cabinet Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, BJP MLA Renu Bisht, along with various officials, saints, devotees, and tourists from India and abroad.

–IANS

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State BJP president and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar met with Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), to discuss the issue.

Emerging from the meeting, Archbishop Thazhath said the Church had conveyed its deep concern over the continued detention of the two nuns, who, he asserted, had done nothing wrong.

“One of the nuns has been working in the region for over three decades, primarily serving leprosy patients. Their arrest has shocked us. We have urged Rajeev Chandrasekhar to ensure their immediate release,” Thazhath told reporters.

He added that Chandrasekhar was the first political leader to reach out to the Church following the arrests, and that Congress leaders had also visited and expressed solidarity.

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Speaking to the media later, Chandrasekhar said that both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had assured him “two days ago” that justice would be served.

“It’s now clear that the Chhattisgarh government will not oppose the bail plea. This is a legal matter and should be allowed to follow due process. Some are trying to politicise it, but that’s not necessary,” he said.

He added that the BJP was extending help not for political gain but out of principle. “There has clearly been a misunderstanding. It must be noted, however, that issues like conversion and trafficking are sensitive.”

Chandrasekhar left for Delhi soon after the meeting, reportedly to follow up with Amit Shah and other senior leaders to expedite a resolution.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, hectic efforts are underway to secure the release of the nuns. On Friday morning, three Congress MPs — Kodikunnil Suresh, Anto Antony, and Dean Kuriakose — arrived in the state, joined by two former CPI(M) MPs from Kerala, P.K. Sreemathi and C.S. Sujatha. They are expected to meet the detained nuns.

The two arrested, Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis, belong to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a congregation under the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district. They had been working at a hospital in Agra.

On July 26, while accompanying three women from Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district to Agra for jobs as kitchen helpers in a convent, the nuns and a man named Sukhman Mandavi were intercepted at a railway station by Bajrang Dal activists.

Based on their complaint, the police arrested the nuns on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. A local court subsequently remanded them to judicial custody.

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“Taking forward the systematic nurturing of sports talent which is set in motion through the Khelo India programme, I propose to launch a Khelo India Mission to transform the sports sector over the next decade,” Sitharaman said.

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Sitharaman proposed a plan to boost sports goods manufacturing, which could also directly benefit India’s existing hubs, like Meerut and Jalandhar, while also making equipment more accessible domestically.

Finance Minister Sitharaman also noted the sports sector’s potential as a driver of employment, skilling, and job creation.

The sports sector provides “multiple means of employment, skilling and job opportunities”, the minister said, underlining the government’s intent to develop sports as an economic ecosystem, including training, coaching, equipment manufacturing, and support services.

The government has also increased the total budget allocations for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in this budget.

The budget for the Khelo India programme has been increased fromRs 800 crore to Rs 1000 crore, while among the other major hikes, the budget for Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been increased from Rs 815 crore to Rs 830 crore, while the outlay for incentives to athletes was reduced from 42.65 crore to Rs 37 crore.

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