Under the chairmanship of Governor Mangubhai Patel and chief hospitality of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the festival of integrity was celebrated on Monday at Sandipani Auditorium of Raj Bhavan on the foundation day of Gujarat and Maharashtra states.
Cultural programmes focused on the cultural heritage of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh were presented in the festival. Bhopal resident members of Gujarat and Maharashtra societies were present in the programme. At the outset, the Governor and the Chief Minister garlanded and offered flowers on the statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel located at Sandipani Auditorium.
Patel said that the residents of Hind Desh, all people are one. There may be many colours, forms, dresses, languages. The development of Indian culture has taken place with the unification of various local cultures. We are all Indians, this feeling gives India the shape of a nation. The spirit of unity in diversity is the basis of our nation. To have love for the land of India and the people of India is the form of national unity.
National integrity means the security of every part of the nation's territory and the maintenance of internal unity by defeating the efforts of disruptive forces. Our identity as Indians is to have a sense of respect and reverence for different traditions, customs, languages and cultures. This festival of integrity organised at the Raj Bhavan is a reflection of the feelings and emotions typical of Indian culture of celebrating unity in diversity and happiness together. This is the felicitation of the contribution of the people of different states in the development of Madhya Pradesh. It is a symbol of the participation of the residents of Madhya Pradesh in the enthusiasm and thrill of the foundation day of the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Governor mentioned the iron man Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the creator of India's unbroken form. He said that Sardar Patel's greatest contribution is the merger of 562 small and big princely states into the Indian Union. Probably there has not been a single person in the history of the world, who has done such a courageous act of integration of such a large number of states. He said that Madhya Pradesh is the heart of India, here people of different forms, colours and languages live together harmoniously. He called upon everyone to contribute in the making of golden Madhya Pradesh. He said that let's resolve that while preserving and promoting our cultural specialties, we will contribute our best in the achievement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat" resolution.
The Chief Minister said that all are the sons of Bharat Mata, where is the question of discrimination, that's why the one who comes to Madhya Pradesh, belongs to Madhya Pradesh. Just like sugar dissolves in milk, in the same way those who come to Madhya Pradesh mix and settle in the state. He mentioned the contribution of Maharashtra and Gujarat in building and developing a united India. He recalled the saint tradition and great personalities of the state and highlighted their great deeds. The Chief Minister said that Gujarat and Maharashtra are the lands of warriors and saints, which have given many great personalities to the country.
There have been personalities like Shivaji Maharaj, Saint Tukaram, Lokmanya Tilak from Maharashtra. Saint Narsingh Mehta, the wonderful Mahatma Gandhi who gave the message of peace to the world, Sardar Patel the iron man who unified the nation and Prime Minister Modi who is an institution in itself, are the gifts of the state of Gujarat to India. He mentioned his personal association with the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat and said that he is the son-in-law of the state of Maharashtra.