Srinagar, Aug 12: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign has evolved into a festival of people’s consciousness and a tradition of national love, calling upon people to keep the spirit of the Tricolour high not only on rooftops but also in their thoughts, character and actions.
Addressing the Tiranga Mahotsav celebrations at Botanical Garden Srinagar after flagging off the Tiranga Yatra from SKICC, Sinha said the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, launched in 2022, aims to revive the respect and emotional connection of every Indian with the Tricolour.
“When the Tiranga waves across millions of homes, it is not just the flag that waves, but the hearts of 140 crore Indians are united by the same feeling, the same faith and the same resolve,” he said.
Sinha said the campaign had become a festival of people’s consciousness and a tradition of national love, connecting every Indian with their motherland in a deeper way.
“It is our good fortune that along with Har Ghar Tiranga, we are also celebrating the 150 glorious years of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s Vande Mataram. I believe that if the Tiranga is the soul of our nation, then Vande Mataram is the immortal voice of that soul,” he said.
“When the foreign power tried to crush our self-confidence, this was the song that echoed in the voices of countless patriots,” Sinha said, adding that the commemoration of 150 years of Vande Mataram was not merely about honouring the song but paying homage to the awakening of national consciousness and the spirit of self-confidence, courage and self-respect.
“I believe that Vande Mataram is the immortal voice of our culture. It is the embodiment of our unity,” he said.
Congratulating the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their participation in the Vande Mataram campaign, Sinha said their efforts had become a source of inspiration for the entire nation.
“You have proved that the love for the nation becomes the consciousness of the people. Only then does history take on a new direction,” he said.
Sinha said he was proud that the youth and citizens of Jammu and Kashmir had helped make the Union Territory “the best in the country” in the campaign.
“I would like to congratulate all such people who have participated in this campaign. And I would like to request that Jammu and Kashmir should continue to be number one in the next phase,” he said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir would have to work harder to retain the position, adding that the achievement was not merely a number but an expression of the “unbreakable national consciousness” flowing through Jammu and Kashmir.
“These achievements have sent a message to the world that Jammu and Kashmir is a land of courage, determination, and devotion towards the motherland of India,” he said.
“When Bandipora, Baramulla, Pulwama, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Jammu and Srinagar march together in support of Vande Mataram, India’s spirit rises,” Sinha said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the Vande Mataram and Har Ghar Tiranga campaigns should also motivate people to introspect and ask themselves whether they were contributing to building the India for which their ancestors, freedom fighters and brave soldiers had given their all.
“If our ancestors protected the nation with their blood, sweat and tears, then it is our responsibility to protect it with our character, honesty, dedication, unity, and service. This will be our true devotion towards our martyrs,” he said.
Sinha said this year’s Vande Mataram and Har Ghar Tiranga campaigns were not merely a combination of two national campaigns but an announcement of a new era on the roads of Srinagar and Jammu.
He said Har Ghar Tiranga had become the identity of a new Jammu and Kashmir that had decided to move forward on the path of faith, development and dedication towards the motherland.
“This is the symbol of the new Jammu and Kashmir, which is full of self-confidence and is moving forward with firm steps towards the future,” he said.
“This is the Jammu and Kashmir where every house has become the centre of national devotion. This is the Jammu and Kashmir where every heart beats with the beat of national unity,” Sinha said.
Calling upon people to take a pledge, he said, “Let us take an oath that the Har Ghar Tiranga will not only be on the rooftops of Jammu and Kashmir, but it will always be high in our thoughts, character, and actions.”
“Let us take an oath today that the sacred feeling of Vande Mataram will be imbibed in our every action, decision, and responsibility,” he said.
Sinha also called upon people to honour the sacrifices of those who gave India the precious gift of independence by building a nation that is prosperous, safe, just and opens the doors of equal opportunities for every citizen.
He called for collective efforts to realise the vision of a Jammu and Kashmir that is economically powerful and takes pride in Indian culture and spiritual values. (KNO)
