JKPCC Remembers Indira Gandhi, Sardar Patel
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today held a solemn function at its headquarters in Jammu to pay floral tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 31st martyrdom anniversary and to commemorate the birth anniversary of India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The ceremony, presided over by Working President Raman Bhalla, saw the participation of senior Congress leaders including Mula Ram, Ravinder Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney, Ved Mahajan, Th. Balbir Singh, Th. Manmohan Singh, Adv. Suresh Dogra, and several others representing district, block, and frontal units of the party.
Addressing the gathering, Raman Bhalla hailed Indira Gandhi as a courageous and visionary leader who upheld the nation’s unity and secular values in the face of adversity. He recalled her decisive leadership during the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh, her role in making India a nuclear power through the Pokhran test in 1974, and her unwavering fight against communal and fundamentalist forces. Bhalla described her as “the Iron Lady of India” who commanded respect across the world for her political resolve and foresight.
Paying homage to Sardar Patel, Bhalla lauded his monumental role in uniting over 560 princely states into the Indian Union and his contribution to maintaining national integrity in the turbulent years following Independence. He recalled Patel’s firm stance against communal elements and his deep commitment to Gandhian ideals.
Former Minister Mula Ram and Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma also spoke on the occasion, remembering the two leaders as torchbearers of secularism and national unity. They urged party workers to uphold the principles of democracy and social harmony espoused by Gandhi and Patel.
A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to both leaders.
Parallel functions were organised across districts and blocks of the Jammu region, where Congress workers paid homage and reflected on the enduring legacy of Indira Gandhi’s sacrifice and Sardar Patel’s nation-building efforts.
The day-long observances concluded with renewed pledges by party members to preserve the ideals of unity, integrity, and secularism that defined the lives of the two towering figures of India’s history.
