Gandhinagar, Aug 15 (IANS) Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagdish Vishwakarma said on Saturday that freedom should be understood not merely as the enjoyment of rights but as the responsible exercise of those rights and the disciplined discharge of duties towards the nation and society.
Addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony at the state BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, Vishwakarma added that the Constitution had given every citizen rights while also assigning them the responsibility of contributing to the country’s unity, integrity and progress.
“Freedom does not merely mean enjoying rights, but using those rights responsibly and performing one’s duties towards the nation and society with discipline, honesty and dedication,” he said.
Vishwakarma added that Independence Day was an occasion not only to celebrate national pride but also to remember those who had made the supreme sacrifice for the country’s freedom and to strengthen the resolve to build the nation.
He paid tribute to the freedom fighters, revolutionaries and other great personalities who had dedicated their lives to the independence struggle.
Recalling Gujarat’s contribution, the State BJP President referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s role in taking the message of truth and non-violence to the masses, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s organisational strength and commitment to national unity, and the contributions of Shyamji Krishna Varma and Sardar Singh Rana to the freedom movement.
“India’s progress today extended across science and technology, space, defence, agriculture, healthcare, education, digital systems, start-ups, women’s empowerment and infrastructure. The development journey involved the contribution of every hardworking citizen,” he said.
Referring to the national goal of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, Vishwakarma said: “The collective aspiration is for India to become a developed, self-reliant and prosperous country capable of guiding the world when it completed 100 years of independence.”
He called for citizens to keep the national interest paramount, strengthen unity, integrity and social harmony, and discharge their responsibilities with honesty and dedication.
He also urged people to give priority to indigenous products, conserve water and electricity, protect natural resources and the environment, safeguard public property, promote cleanliness and education, and contribute to de-addiction and social service.
“The life we live should be dedicated to the country, our talent should be dedicated to the country and our hard work should be dedicated to the country,” Vishwakarma said, calling for collective efforts with the spirit of ‘Nation First’.
He also highlighted the contribution of the armed forces, saying the soldiers protecting the motherland from the bitter cold to the scorching heat of the desert and from maritime borders to the heights of the sky deserved the nation’s gratitude.
The ceremony was attended by senior BJP leaders, office-bearers, MPs, MLAs, party workers and citizens.
–IANS
mys/khz