Bihar plans progs to celebrate Champaran Satyagraha centenary

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the state will honour hundreds of Gandhians across the country on April 17 and host a national level discussion on the life and views of the Father of the Nation.
The Bihar government would host elaborate programmes to celebrate the centenary year of Champaran Satyagraha when Mahatma Gandhi had launched his first agitation against British rule by protesting the forced indigo cultivation order on farmers in 1917.
The celebration would start with a national level discussion on Gandhiji on April 10 here, Kumar told reporters after his weekly lok samvad (public interaction) programme.

"A yatra will be held in Muzaffarpur on April 15, the day Bapu landed in this north Bihar town a century back on his way to Champaran. On April 17, Gandhians across the country will be honoured," he said.
All places related to Gandhiji across the state would be spruced up, Kumar said adding, the theme would be to educate the younger generation with Gandhian values, which hold relevance even today.
"Even if ten per cent of the younger generation imbibes true Gandhian values through such efforts, I think it will bring a major social revolution in the country," he said.

Efforts were on to develop a "Gandhian circuit" by linking important places associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the state to boost tourism, the Chief Minister said.
Responding to a question that different political parties were also planning programmes on the Champaran Satyagraha centenary, Kumar said the state government has chalked out its itinerary after an all party discussion.
"This is a democratic country and everybody has the right to propagate Gandhian values," he added.