KURUKSHETRA: Around 18,000 children, primarily school students, participated in global Gita recitation during International Gita Mahotsav 2024 at Kurukshetra on Wednesday.
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Haryana chief minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini, tourism minister of Tanzania Pindi Hazara Chana, Swami Gyananand also participated in the Gita recitation on this occasion. Odisha’s language, literature and culture minister Suryabanshi Suraj was unable to attend the event on Wednesday.
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini announced that Kurukshetra’s Theme Park would now be named "Keshav Park," dedicated to Lord Krishna. “It aims to further preserve and promote the cultural and spiritual heritage of Kurukshetra, a place of great religious and historical importance in India”, CM said, while announcing a special holiday on Thursday for school students participating in the global Gita recitation in Kurukshetra.
Earlier, the CM, along with others, offered prayers to the Bhagavad Gita at Jyotisar, the birthplace of the sacred scripture. The CM also visited Jyotisar’s Mahabharat Anubhav Kendra (Experience Center) and the Virat Saroop statue of Lord Krishna. He remarked that 5,162 years ago, on this day, the Srimad Bhagavad Gita's message was delivered by Lord Shri Krishna, and it is a matter of pride that the Gita is being recited in many countries today.
Meanwhile, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressing the gathering of children voiced out for One Nation One Election (ONOE), one of the key agenda of BJP for the country. “Country is moving forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji at a fast pace. Soon, India will become Vishav Guru and there is no doubt in the same. But there is one obstruction in India’s development and growth that is elections which always take place. Other things may take place in India or not, but there are preparations always taking place for elections”, said Shivraj Singh.
“In race for elections, public welfare and development works are left behind and the parties remain busy in preparing for elections all five years. Leaders of all the parties remain busy in the tension of winning the elections. Although I am agriculture minister, when the elections came, I had to remain busy in the election campaign for the party for three months regularly as party worker. This wastes the time of even the Prime Minister, chief ministers, member Parliaments, MLAs, officers, and all the development works remain stalled. Election commission spends public money besides the political parties”, said Shivraj Singh while adding that all elections should be conducted at once in five years after making required amendments in the Constitution.