‘Gandhi’s India is self-reliant, united, secular and harmonious’: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar

BELAGAVI: Hailing Mahatma Gandhi as the soul of India, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Mahatma gave the message of peace and coexistence to the world.

“We chanted the Gandhi mantra yesterday, we do it today, and we will continue to chant his mantra in the future,” he said while addressing the “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” convention, organized to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the 1924 Belagavi convention, which was presided over by Mahatma Gandhi.

“A century ago, Mahatma Gandhi took over the reins of the Congress and led the Independence movement. A hundred years later, we are organising this convention to spread his message to future generations,” he said. He explained that the convention was held to honour the roles of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar in protecting the Constitution.

#WATCH | Belagavi, Karnataka: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says “Today, a very important message has been given by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Rahul Gandhi’s health was not good, so he could not come. There was a massive crowd here. A good… pic.twitter.com/BlemI4GJu2

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2025

“The main objective of this convention is to remember the contributions of Gandhiji and Ambedkar to the nation and to protect the Constitution. Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan is not a mere slogan but Shakti mantra of India”, he noted. “Karnataka’s son Mallikarjun Kharge is today sitting in the same chair which was adorned by the likes of Mahatma Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi’s India is self-reliant, united, secular and harmonious”, he said.

“Gandhiji used to say that ‘you can kill a revolutionary but you can’t kill a revolution’. He also said that no one can finish him but no one could finish off his thoughts. Similarly, one can die but the philosophy will live on”, Shivakumar added.

The Deputy CM emphasized that the Constitution continues to guide us. “We have the tricolour shawl on our shoulders and the sacred Constitution in our hearts. The Constitution is our father, mother, kin and kin. The Constitution is our sacred book like Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran”, he said.

“Baba Saheb Ambedkar used to say that he would live on in the form of the Constitution even after his death. He lives amongst us in the form of ‘Jai Bhim’. People are spreading falsehoods against the very person who fought for the truth. It is time we destroy Godse’s thinking and uphold Gandhiji’s principles,” he appealed.

He also recalled that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra united the people. “This convention must not stop here. We have organized Gandhi Bharat programmes throughout the year. Similarly, such programs must be held in all taluks. Just as Gandhiji united the people of the country through the Congress convention, Rahul Gandhi united the people of the country through the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Communalists killed Gandhiji on January 30, but the Congress party took his philosophy forward. The 1924 Congress convention of Belagavi had energized the unification efforts in Karnataka as well. Our government has given freedom from poverty and financial burdens through the five guarantee schemes. We have delivered as promised. Let us save the democratic principles through the slogan ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’,” he added. (ANI)